


Love, Luck and other Misfortunes

by angelsong87



Series: Love, pain, and x files [2]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 14:09:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6858154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelsong87/pseuds/angelsong87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the second piece in my series, following on from Distance, Mulder and Scully are trying to figure out what they mean to each other. but life family and the X Files keep getting in the way</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> as always I don't own anything.   
> that honor goes to Chris Carter and his team of writers.  
> I will take claim to Charlie Scully's personality and life choices.  
> as always if you like what you read let me know.  
> comments are always appreciated.

 

Jan 28 2000 7:00 PM

He got out of the car and brushed back his dark spiky hair. He was finally going to see Scully. He had seen her at work of course, but that was different. Work was the epitome of professional, you never knew who was watching. He longed to reach out and brush an errant strand of that fiery hair behind her ear, to wrap his arms around her. But he didn’t. It had been almost a week since he had seen her out of work and to say that he was looking forward to it was an understatement.

He reached down into the car and pulled out a bottle of red and a couple CDs, humming to himself as he locked the car and headed up to her front door. As he approached her apartment door he quickly checked his breath and smoothed down his white button down shirt. He knocked on the door and waited.

He didn’t even try to hide his surprise when the door was opened by Langly instead of the petite red head that he was expecting.

“Mulder, what’s up?” Said the tall lanky man. “You here to see Scully?”

“Langly? What are you doing here?” Said Mulder, stepping past him and into the apartment. Thank god I put the wine and CDs into a bag, he thought. “Scully?” He called out.

“In the Kitchen!” Her voice called back to him.

He nodded to Langly and walked towards the kitchen. Scully was standing next to the stove listening intently to the short older man currently pouring oil into a pan.

“See the trick is to sear in the flavour first, then lower the heat down to cook it. Oh hey Muldy.”

“Hey Hickey, what are you doing?” Asked Mulder.

“I’m just teaching the delectable Agent Scully here how to make the perfect enchiladas.” Answered Frohike.

“Oh, okay. Ah, why?” Asked Mulder, he was getting really annoyed at the Gunmen’s intrusion to his night with Scully.

“The boys came over to do my weekly bug sweep and Hickey here, asked if he could make dinner.” Explained Scully. “Could you excuse us for a minute?” She asked Frohike, taking Mulder by the arm and leading him down the hall. When they were clear of listening ears she whispered. “What was I supposed to do? He showed up with the groceries?” her eyes pleaded for understanding.

“Tell him you had plans.” Said Mulder petulantly. Scully threw him a look and Mulder sighed. “I know, I just missed you, we haven’t spent any time together in a week.” He said sullenly.

“Mulder, I was with you all day.” Said Scully rolling her eyes.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” He said and crossed his arms over his chest.

“It’s only dinner, they’ve already done the sweep so we can kick them out as soon as were done. Then it’s just you and me I promise.” She said brushing her hands up his arms.

“How was the sweep?” He asked unfurling his arms to wrap them around her waist.

“The same as usual. Nothing, I don’t know why you want me to keep doing this Mulder, they have never found anything.”

It was true, they had found nothing more since they first checked over the apartment. But considering what they had found the first time, Mulder wasn’t taking any chances. Scully still had no idea that they had done the first sweep. Mulder thought it was best not to scare her with what they had found, or at least, that’s how he justified keeping it a secret. He wasn’t so much worried about scaring Scully, as he was enraging her if she found out that they had checked her home without her consent. He bent down to kiss away her questions, just as Byers walked around the corner and into the hallway.

They quickly let go and turned to face their friend. “Ah.” Said Byers, his face reddening. “Frohike told me to come get you, he said that dinner is almost ready.” He promptly turned around and headed for the dining room. Mulder and Scully looked at each other both wondering what Byers had made of them embracing like that. Scully broke the eye contact sighing and headed for the kitchen to help set the table. Mulder took a deep breath and followed behind her.

When he reached the dining room he saw a still red faced Byers sitting next to Langly at the table. Mulder took the chair opposite them and sat down.

“So Mulder, what brings you over to Scully’s tonight. You got an interesting case?” Asked Langly. “Need any help?”

“No just paperwork, expenditures reports and stuff.” Said Mulder. It was their standard cover story if they ever got busted at each other’s houses. “But thanks.”

“No problemo, if I find anything juicy I’ll throw it your way.” Replied Langly.

Mulder nodded to the other man, and looked over at Byers. He seemed determined not to make eye contact. I guess he saw more than we would have liked, thought Mulder. He hoped that Byers would keep his mouth shut, if he told the others he would never hear the end of it.

Scully and Frohike entered armed with cutlery and plates, and after setting the table Scully took the seat next to Mulder while Frohike went back to grab the food. An uncomfortable silence settled over the table. Scully rubbed her foot down Mulder’s leg reassuringly. She opened her mouth to speak and Frohike walked in.

“I hope you’re hungry!” he said putting the food out in the centre of the table.

They all tucked in and before too long the silence was gone, replaced with jokes and conspiracy theories. After an hour or so Mulder cleared his throat and said. “Well it’s been fun boys, but Scully and I still have a lot of work to do tonight so….”

Byers jumped up from the table. “Right!” he exclaimed. “Time to go guys, let’s leave the Agents to do their work.”

Frohike and Langly looked up at the third member of their group confused. But they both stood up and started gathering their things. “You don’t want any help with the clean up?” Frohike asked Scully.

“No, no it will be fine.” She replied. “Mulder can help me.” Byers face went red again and he headed for the door.

The other Gunmen followed behind their friend saying their goodbyes. As the door closed behind them Frohike turned to the others. “Called it!”


	2. Chapter 2

 

Jan 28 2000 9:18 PM

 

Mulder and Scully flopped down on the couch. They had just finished cleaning up the mess from dinner and Scully was eager to go through the CDs that Mulder had brought over.

“The Best of Van Morrison?” asked Scully turning the case over in her hands.

“Don’t you like the Van?” asked Mulder, pulling his best pouting face.

“No he’s okay, I guess I was expecting more Elvis,” She said going through the bag.

“Well I did bring Sinatra,” Admitted Mulder. “And Ella Fitzgerald, but I will always have a soft spot for Van Morrison.” He grabbed the CD up from the coffee table where Scully had left it, and put it into the CD player. He skipped through the tracks playing a jazzy number with horns. They sat listening cuddled up, wine forgotten in the kitchen. He leaned in to catch her lips with his own. Just as she moved to deepen the kiss, the shrill sound of Scully’s phone rang out, cutting over the music.

“Who would be calling this late?” Asked Mulder as she got up and turned down the music.

“Other than you?” She shot and headed for the phone. “I’m not sure, I guess we will find out.” She said and picked up the phone. “Hello.”

“Hey sis.”

“Charlie? Hey what’s wrong? Why are you calling so late?” she said and mouthed an apology to Mulder before walking into the kitchen.

“Well,” She heard her younger brother take in a deep breath, uh oh, she thought. “Jason and I broke up.”

“Are you sure you didn’t just have a fight?” Asked Scully. Her brother Charlie and his partner Jason had been dating since college and while, a little turbulent at times. Scully had always thought of the two of them as in it for the long haul.

“No.” Charlie was crying now. “He left me for someone else. They had been sneaking around for months.”

“No! That Fucking Asshole!” said Scully angrily. “I can’t believe him! What can I do to help?”

“Can I come and stay with you? Just until we settle the house.” He and Jason shared a small two bedroom cottage in New York. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. Mom……” he trailed off.

“Don’t worry about Mom, I won’t even tell her that you’re here if you don’t want.” Said Scully. “Are you driving down or do you want me to pick you up at the airport?”

“No, I’ll be fine I will drive down tomorrow if that’s okay.”

“Of course it is, I will make up the guest bedroom for you tomorrow. Charlie just please be safe on the drive, and call me when you get into town.”

“Thanks Sis, love you.”

“Love you too.” She said and ended the call.

When Scully walked back into the living room she found Mulder sprawled out on the couch with the booklet from his CD in his hands singing along with the music. While she couldn’t carry a tune, Mulder was not bad. She moved back to the table behind the couch and put the phone back in its cradle.

“What was that about Scully?” Asked Mulder looking up at her.

She moved around to the couch and he lifted his legs so she could sit down before placing them in her lap. “That was my little brother Charlie. He’s coming to stay for a little while.”

“Is everything alright?” Scully rarely mentioned her little brother, in fact he couldn’t remember anyone in her family mentioning Charlie, even when he stayed over at Christmas a few years back.

“Well,” Said Scully carefully. She wasn’t sure how Mulder would react to the news that Charlie was gay. “He broke up with his partner.”

“Oh, that’s sad. How long had they been dating?” Asked Mulder curious about the mysterious Charlie.

“Eleven years.” She said sadly.

“Wow, were they married?”

“Um, no. they can’t get married…… Charlie’s partner is a man.” She said carefully. Looking at his face to see how he reacted.

Mulder nodded. “So do you think they will get back together?” He asked. He didn’t show any sign of disgust or shock, just concern. He was so wonderful at times.

“I don’t think so, Jason….. That’s his partner, was cheating on him.” She said relaxing.

“What a Dick. Want me to make some calls? We could put out a warrant on some unpaid parking fines if he has any.” He joked, he could see how upset Scully was about her brother.

She laughed. “No, that won’t be necessary, but it does mean that my place will be occupied for a while.”

Oh right. He sat up, Mulder hadn’t thought about that, it had been hard enough going a whole week without seeing her after work. How would he go when she had a guest for the foreseeable future? “Well, your Mom only lives a few suburbs away, I’m sure he will want to spend some time with her so….” He trailed off when he saw Scully’s face go white.

“Mulder, you can’t tell my Mom that he’s here! They don’t, she wouldn’t….” Scully struggled to find the words to explain. How was she supposed to tell Mulder that her family had disowned her brother?

“Okay Scully, the next time your Mom and I have lunch I won’t say anything.” He joked. “Seriously, you can trust me. What’s the problem?” he tried very hard to keep his expression blank, it had been somewhat of a surprise to learn that Charlie was gay. But that wasn’t a big deal, he had no problems with anybody’s decisions on who they loved. It was none of his business, just like his love life was none of theirs. But it was obviously a big deal to Scully.

“Mom and Charlie haven’t spoken to each other since he came out. Mom is very religious, as you know, and Charlie kind of sprang it on us one Thanksgiving. It didn’t end well.” She didn’t say that her Mom and screamed at him that he was going to hell and threatened to call the police if he and his boyfriend didn’t leave. Or how her Dad had just sat there dumbfounded. She still felt guilty for staying at the house instead of chasing after him with Missy.

“Your religious, how do you feel about it?”

He always asked the hard questions when it came to her faith. She sighed. “It was hard at first, especially with Mom and Bill saying he was going to hell. But I would like to believe that God loves all his children, I don’t believe that he would make a person feel like that and then punish him for it.”

“But Maggie does.” Said Mulder. Damn, he thought, I really liked Scully’s Mom.

“She’s not a bad person Mulder, she just doesn’t understand it. I will always have hope that she will come around. She does love her son.” She looked into his eyes begging him to see how it tore her apart, loving both her Mother and Brother even though they couldn’t love each other.

“Well I’m looking forward to meeting him.” He said reaching out to caress her face. “When’s he coming?”

“Tomorrow sometime.” She said smiling at him.

“Tomorrow! That means I only have you to myself for the night.” He pulled her into his lap and pressed a kiss into her jaw. “I guess I should make the time count.” He murmured in her ear sending a shiver of heat down her spine.

“I guess so.” She whispered back to him before pulling him in for a deep longing kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

 

Jan 29 2000 10:13 AM

A piercing ring in his ears woke Mulder up. He heard Scully next to him fumble for the phone.

“Hello.” She said sleepily.

He cuddled into her, hoping that she would hang up the phone soon. He had been having a wonderful dream. Scully sat upright.

“Your where? Okay see you soon.” She said and hung up the phone. She turned to look at him while he lay with his eyes closed dozing. “Mulder.”

“Yeah Scully.” He replied still not opening his eyes.

“You got to go.” Said Scully as she hoped out of the bed and pulled on her pyjamas.

His eyes shot open. “What?” he asked confused, but she was already walking out of the room. He quickly stood up and threw on his clothes before heading out to the kitchen to look for her.

He looked around the kitchen and dining area, she wasn’t there and it didn’t look like she had made any attempt at coffee yet. He walked over and started to fuss with the coffee machine. When he was done making the coffees he called out. “Scully?”

“In here.” She called from the guest bedroom.

Mulder walked up to find her busy making the bed. “I made you a coffee.” He said walking up behind her to place his hands on her shoulders.

“Charlie is in town already, he will be here in twenty minutes, I don’t have time for coffee. I need to get the room ready for him.” She replied shrugging him off and walking over to the stack of pillows that needed pillowcases put on.

“Let me help, what do you need done?” He asked.

“Can you clear out some space in the closet? Just put it all in my room I’ll put it away later.” She said shaking the pillow into its sheath.

He walked over to the closet and opened the door. There must have been at least fifteen shoe boxes in there as well as some of Scully’s summer clothes. “Do you really need that many shoes?” He asked turning to look at her.

She shot him an annoyed look. “Yes, shut up. I like shoes.” His eyebrows went up, but he didn’t ask. He reached down and tried to gather up as many of the boxes as he could, and walked them back into her room putting them on the bed.

By the time he had made two trips she was done making the bed and moved to help him gather up the last of her clothes. “Thank you.” She said as they dumped them on her bed. She looked down at the alarm clock. “Crap, you have to go now.” She turned and all but pushed him to the door.

“Whoa why the rush?” He protested.

“Mulder, my brother will be here any second and I don’t want the first time he meets you to be in my apartment on a Saturday morning after you look like you spent the night.” She explained impatiently.

“But I did spend the night.” He teased.

“Yes and if you ever want to spend the night again you will get out.” Said Scully opening the door.

“Don’t I even get a goodbye kiss?” He said giving her the puppy dog pout. He knew he was winding her up, but she was so cute when she exploded at him.

She gave him an exasperated sigh and leaned in to give him a peck on the lips. As soon as their lips met he surprised her by wrapping his arms around her and pinned her into a passionate kiss. When they broke apart she smiled at him. “Now go!” she said pushing him out of the door.

She shut the door behind him and walked into the kitchen to wait for the buzzer. By the time she reached the coffee that Mulder had left her it was just right. She took a sip and let out a sigh of contentment. She had missed seeing Mulder for the past week, but her _Aunt Flo_ had visited and with their relationship being so new she wasn’t sure if she should tell him. Based on his behaviour last night their personal relationship seemed to Scully more like a sexual relationship than an emotional. That was probably for the best she thought, rationalising away her feelings. She didn’t want to think about the two of them become more than that, it was far too complicated.

Just then she heard a knock on the door, Charlie must have been let into the building by one of her neighbours. She walked over and opened the door.

“Hi Squirt.” Said Charlie. He had always been taller than her growing up, although she had three years on him. Now as an adult he had maxed out at 6.5’. He had his Brother Bill’s build, but like his Sister and Father he had inherited the flaming locks, which sat in floppy curls around his crown. His eyes were the same shade of blue as Scully’s but his smile was more like Melissa’s always reaching a little higher on one side. When they were younger, before the thanksgiving disaster, they used to joke that he was the missing link in the family. While people struggled to see the family resemblance of the older Scully children and the youngest daughter, Charlie resembled everyone.

“Don’t call me Squirt.” Said Scully, pulling him in for a hug.

They grabbed his bags and she showed him to the guest room. After Charlie had unceremoniously dumped his things on the floor at the foot of the bed he and Scully flopped down on the mattress head to head, like they used to when they were kids. “So, how are you?” Scully asked, already knowing the answer.

“I don’t know really, eleven years Dana, I’ve never even been with anyone else.” He said.

“We need coffee.” Said Scully jumping off the bed. She reached down and pulled at her brother. “We need coffee, and ice cream, and terrible old movies.” She dragged him out of the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Jan 29 2000 10:30 PM  
For the second time today, Mulder was woken by the shrill ringing of a phone. This time however he had been hoping for the call. “Hello.” He answered.  
“Mulder, it’s me.” Came the voice he had been waiting for.  
“Hey Scully, how’s Charlie doing?” Concern playing in his voice.  
“As well as can be expected I suppose. He’s sleeping now, or at least he ought to be, we got into the scotch a bit.” She said giggling a little at the last part.  
“Dana Katherine Scully, are you drunk dialling me?” He teased.  
“Maybe, what are you wearing?” She retorted, remembering all the times Mulder would ask her that question when she called him at work.  
“You little vixen.” He said in mock horror. “But seriously, are you two okay?”  
“Honestly, I don’t know.” She said truthfully. “I always looked at Charlie and Jason as a sign that true love exists, that there really is the other half of your soul out there waiting for you to find it.”  
Wow, she really was drunk he thought to himself. But she was finally sharing something personal. He knew he should hang up, she would hate that she told him this, but he was just too damn curious. “So you don’t believe that anymore?”  
“Well, I want to believe….. God Jason is such an asshole. After everything Charlie went through to be with him, did you know he wasn’t even invited to Dad’s funeral? Jason is an ass, my Mom is an ass. Love just sucks doesn’t it? Everyone is an asshole.” She was slurring her words now, just a little.  
“Including me?” He asked.  
“No Mulder, you’re not an asshole. Crazy, maybe. But not an asshole.”  
“You think I’m crazy?” He was teasing her now.  
“Like padded walls and restraints crazy, but I like you anyway. Hey speaking of restraints, would you like to come over?” She tried her best to put on a sexy tone, but it lost some of it effectiveness due to the slurring.  
He paused for a second thinking of the best way to answer that question. He knew it was a very bad idea and Scully would be embarrassed and possibly angry the next day if he did, and there was every chance that she would pass out in the twenty minutes it took him to drive over. “As much as I would like that, I think it would probably be better if I met Charlie properly before I make him breakfast.”  
“Oh yeah, that’s what I was calling about, you just reminded me. Would you like to have lunch with us tomorrow? We were just going to go down to the diner up the street from my place.”  
“Sure, that sounds great, what time?” He asked.  
“Twelve-thirty? Mm better make it one, I should not have drank so much.”  
“Sounds perfect, I’ll see you there.”  
“Mm-kay, Night Mulder.” She yawned.  
“Night Scully.” He hung up the phone and tried to think if he had ever heard Scully that drunk before. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her have more than a glass or two of wine. He hoped it wouldn’t be a common occurrence now that her brother was in town. Drunk Scully was cute, but he wasn’t sure how much of her truths he wanted to hear.   
****  
The next day Mulder arrived at Debs Diner a little earlier than expected. He looked around but it was clear that Scully and her brother hadn’t got there yet, so he chose a booth and sat down.  
He had just finished ordering coffee for the three of them when he saw his partner walk through the door followed by her brother. They both looked a little worse for wear. Scully, who never left the house without her hair perfectly straightened and her make up on, had her hair tied back in a scrunchie and huge sunglasses covering her eyes. Charlie looked like he had just gotten out of bed. They walked over and slid into the booth across from him.  
The waitress walked over with their coffee orders. “Three cups of black coffee here you go. Are you ready to order?” she asked.  
“Can I get the all-day breakfast?” Asked Scully. Who had snatched up her coffee as soon as it had been put on the table.  
“Same.” Mumbled Charlie.  
“Three orders of the all-day breakfast then please.” Said Mulder smiling to the waitress.  
“Okay Hun, coming right up.” Said the waitress and walked away.  
Mulder looked back at his partner and her brother. Scully was currently nursing the coffee under her nose between tiny sips, while Charlie poured packet after packet of sugar into his. They both looked so miserable it was almost funny, although he knew laughing at them in their current condition was a sure fire way to unleash Scully’s wrath. He remembered how he felt after he had gone on a bender, and waited for Scully to be ready to talk.  
About half way into her coffee she was finally able to speak. “Mulder, this is my brother Charlie. Charlie, this is Mulder.”  
Mulder held out his hand and Charlie reached across and shook it. “It’s nice to meet you man, any friend of Dana’s is a friend of mine.”  
They passed into easy conversation as the food arrived and by the time they had all eaten a healthy serving of bacon and eggs, the hangovers that plagued the Scully siblings was all but gone.  
“So what do you do Charlie?” Asked Mulder.  
“I’m a Lawyer, go ahead and make all the blood sucker jokes you like. I’ve heard them all.” He joked.  
“Oh, that’s interesting, what kind of lawyer are you?” Mulder asked cagily.  
“He’s not a defence attorney Mulder, don’t worry.” Said Scully rolling her eyes.  
“Ah, okay good. I, ah, don’t really get on well with defence attorneys.” He explained going a little red.  
“Yeah well, most people don’t tend to get on with the guy that likes to punch them in the face.” Said Scully with a laugh.  
Charlie looked at Mulder curiously, wanting to know the story behind his sister’s comment. Mulder sighed. “It was a long time ago, I was working in the Violent Crimes Department. There was this case, this asshole was raping young women, but he always wore a mask and there was never any evidence. Eventually we got lucky and his last victim scratched a chunk out of the perp. Once we made an arrest and went to trial, the perp’s lawyer got the DNA evidence thrown out on a technicality. The guy walked, he went on to kill two women before we caught him again.”  
Charlie sat back in his seat, he was thankful that he didn’t defend people like that. “But, so how did you punch the lawyer?”  
Scully laughed, “After the trial Mulder found him in the john and gave him a black eye.”  
“He knew his client was guilty Scully, he told me. What was I supposed to do?” He whined.  
“Well you don’t have to worry about that with me.” Said Charlie. “I’m strictly a divorce attorney, you’re not married are you?”  
Mulder and Scully jumped and looked at each other. “No.” they said at the same time.  
Charlie snuck at look at his sister and her partner, who had both gone red and were busy looking anywhere but at each other. “Okay.” He said trying to break the uncomfortable silence.  
Mulder stood up, “I have to go, the Gunmen wanted me to stop by so. Nice to meet you Charlie.” He nodded at the man and headed out the door.   
Charlie turned to look at his still red sister. “He seems nice.”   
“Don’t start Charlie.” She warned.  
“What?” He replied chuckling. “I didn’t say anything.” He looked at her, his eyes still dancing with laughter.  
She groaned at him. “Come on lets go home it’s too bright out here.”


	5. Chapter 5

Jan 30 2000 3:00 PM

Mulder pulled up outside the Gunmen’s office he sighed to himself and turned off the car. He had been going over the lunch date with Scully and her brother in his head. Well that’s another Scully brother who hates me. Why did he have to be a lawyer? Why did Scully have to bring up that story? He groaned and got out of the car.

“Hey Mulder,” Said Langly as he opened the door. “You here to look at those reports?”

Frohike had called him that morning with reports of UFO activity over Wyoming. “Yeah, is Hickey in?” He said stepping through the door.

“Yep, in his cave.” Said Langley gesturing behind him.

Mulder walked into the room Frohike called his cave, it was a small room with shelves full of crates and cables along the walls. A desk sat in the middle of the room covered in papers and a small computer wedged at one end. Frohike looked up from his computer. “Hey Muldy, come here I’m just looking over the data now.”

He walked over to squint at the tiny screen. There was a map with little dots representing sightings. “What are the sources like? Are they credible?”

Just as Frohike opened his mouth to reply Byers walked it “Frohike have you seen my AUX cable?” Byers looked up and saw Mulder. “Oh Mulder, I didn’t know you were here, never mind.” He turned and walked away.

Mulder and Frohike looked at each other. That was weird. Mulder followed him out.

“Byers!” He called. “What is going on with you?”

Byers stopped and put his head down. “I’m sorry Mulder, I wasn’t snooping, I haven’t said anything.”

“About what?” He asked before realising why Byers has been acting so strange around him. The hallway at Scully’s house, Byers saw them. He had forgotten that he had caught them. “Oh, you mean Scully and I.”

Byers nodded still red. “I haven’t said anything, it’s none of my business.”

Mulder stood thinking about how to handle this. “I appreciate that. It’s just very new, and I’m not really sure what it all means yet.”

“Sure thing.” Said Byers, he smiled and looked up at Mulder. “Congratulations, Agent Scully is an amazing woman.”

“I know.” Replied Mulder.

****

“Charlie!” called Scully, “I’m Home can you give me a hand?”

Charlie walked out of the guest room and saw her struggling to shut the front door with her hands full of grocery bags. “I thought you were just getting a few things. What’s all this?”

“Well, I figured you would be staying for a while and I didn’t want you to go hungry while I’m at work tomorrow so I figured I would stock up a bit.” She said handing him some of the bags.

“You do know that I am a grown man right? I am capable of doing my own shopping when I need to. Besides, I was thinking about going down to the Washington office of my firm tomorrow and applying for a transfer.”

Scully stopped unpacking and stared at him, she knew he was planning on staying for a while. But this sounded more like moving. “Are you sure you want to do that tomorrow, why not leave it a couple of weeks and see how you feel. You might miss New York, plus you still have to settle your house and all your stuff.”

Charlie could see his sister’s brain ticking over, he wondered if this had anything to do with her good looking partner. Perhaps it was better to wait a while, and he was expecting a call from Jason today about the house. He didn’t know if they were going to sell it and split the profits or if he wanted to keep it. It was all too hard. “Your probably right Dana, I should see how I feel before making any big decisions.”

Scully sighed in relief, and went pack to unpacking. “If you want we could go down to the video store and rent a movie tonight?”

“I think I would rather stay in and catch up, when was the last time we really talked?” he said.

“We talked last night, I have the empty scotch bottle to prove it.” She said warily.

“That was about me, I want to know about you. How’s work? Do you love it? Are you seeing anyone?” He said cheekily.

“Works good, interesting. I guess I like it well enough.” She replied. “Do you want a coffee?”

“Yes please two sugars, you didn’t answer my last question.” He wasn’t going to let her off that easily, he knew there was something going on with her and that Mulder guy and he was going to make her tell him.

“Didn’t I? Um, when am I supposed to find time to date? I work all the time, and at the drop of a hat I could get called out on a case on the other side of the country. It’s not really conducive to the dating world.” She handed him a cup of coffee and walked out of the kitchen.

“Your partners’ pretty cute, and did he say he isn’t married? Is he seeing someone?” He teased. Following her out into the living room.

“No, he isn’t seeing anyone as far as I know.” She said rolling her eyes at him.

“Do you think he’s cute? Wait he’s not gay is he? Because I totally missed that vibe.”

“Charlie, he is not gay so you leave him alone. I will not have my baby brother hitting on my partner.” She was getting annoyed at his questioning now.

“Okay so he’s single and attractive, and you’re single and relatively attractive.” He said grinning.

“Thanks.” She said shooting him a look that could peel paint.

“Well, I’m just saying. How long have you guys been partnered?”

“I am not having this conversation with you Charlie, drop it please.” She was about three seconds from walking out on him.

“Okay, sorry.” He knew he better drop it, his big sister was little, but fierce.


	6. Chapter 6

 

Feb 10 2000 7:30 AM

Mulder walked into his office and flopped down on his chair. It had been nearly two weeks since Scully’s brother moved in, and he barely saw her outside of work. The occasional times that he had, Charlie was always there. He was a nice guy and Mulder knew he needed support but he was really missing the alone time that he had gotten used to in January. He sighed and scanned the tabloid headlines again. They still hadn’t had a case since Pittsfield, he was getting antsy. Nothing, as usual, damn. He turned on his computer hoping for an email or an alert. He was tempted to check out the UFO sightings that Frohike had put him on to, even though he knew that it was nothing. Two quick calls to the local air traffic control was all it took to blow that one out of the water.

His phone rang and he picked it up. “Mulder.”

“Hey Mulder, its Chuck.”

“Oh Hey Chuck how are you man?” He asked.

“Good. Good, hey have you heard the report that came in from the Chicago field office this morning?” Asked Chuck.

“No, why? Is it good?” he sat up, and grabbed a pen and some paper.

“Well according to their organized crime division, some guy took a swan dive off of a building owned by Cutrona.”  
“The Mob Boss?” He asked writing the name down.

“That’s the one, but this guy. He fell like thirty floors and then walked away.” Said Chuck excitedly.

“You’re kidding.” Said Mulder.

“Nope, two agents watched it happen.”

“Chuck, I got to go.” Said Mulder hanging up the phone.

He practically ran out the door on his way to Skinners office to file his travel request.

****

An hour later he was on a flight. He had called Scully as soon as he had approval but she had already left for work and needed to go home and pack so he had changed her flight for the next one and went on ahead without her. He used the flight time to read up on the measly report. They had no idea who this guy was, and no one got a clear look at his face. He wanted to get down to the field office as soon as he landed to try and pick up some more information.

He called Scully from the rental car and asked her to meet him at the street corner where the event had happened when she got there.

He got practically nothing from the field office, he wasn’t surprised when he saw the agents that were on surveillance last night. They looked like they could work up a sweat lifting donuts to their mouths. Of course they didn’t catch the man that was thrown. No one was helpful, all they wanted was the guy’s name so they could get him to testify. Mulder sighed, it was time to check out the scene.

The first thing he noticed when he got to the street was the steel plates that covered the underground elevator. He couldn’t imagine why they were left open. He walked over to the hotel to ask about it. All he had to do was flash his badge at reception and a minute later a weedy little man with a supervisor badge pinned to his shirt was there to help.

“Hi there, ah, Agent. I’m Rick, ah, what’s this all about?” The man sort of hunched over when he talked as if he was expecting a blow any minute.

“Hi Rick, sorry to take up your time I was just wanting to take a look at your service elevator, the one that goes up to the street?”

“Ah, yeah, okay.” He said nervously. “Follow me.” He led Mulder through the hotel kitchen and down some stairs to the basement. There were carts full of sheets and towels everywhere.

“Do you use an outside linen service?” Asked Mulder after looking in a cart. He noticed that all the sheets and towels were folded, like they had just been delivered.

“Yes, um, Grayson’s Linen service. Do you need their information?” He asked, eager to get Mulder out of his hair.

“No, not yet. But can you tell me did you have a delivered yesterday?” Asked Mulder.

“Yes, they came in at about nine last night, why?”

“Well last night the elevator doors were left open. Did you know that?” Mulder stared at the small man.

“Ah, well, yes I did. The elevator is old you see, and sometimes the doors get stuck, I noticed that they were open at about eleven last night and went and closed them. I know it’s a safety hazard, please don’t write me up for it!” Rick cowered at Mulder.

“So you didn’t see anything?” He asked and Rick furiously shook his head. “Okay, we’ll let you off with a warning this time, but I want unrestricted access to this basement for the rest of the day.” Rick nodded and turned to scurry away. “Oh and Rick.” He turned back to face Mulder. “Who owns the top floor to the hotel?”

“Jimmy Cutrona, leases the top two floors, but please don’t tell him I told you.” Said Rick, and then he all but ran away.

Mulder shook his head at the quickly disappearing man, people who deal with the Mob on a regular basis were all the same. Timid little rats. He walked over to the elevator and had a look at the controls. Just then his cell phone rang. “Hello.” He said.

“Hey, Mulder it’s me. What now?” Scully shouted over the traffic.

“Are you in Chicago?” Asked Mulder, hitting the up button on the elevator.

“Yes I’m in Chicago.” Said Scully irately she was still pissed at him for not waiting for her. He always did this, running off to on some case forcing her to follow him, and today she was in no mood for it. Charlie hadn’t made any attempt to settle things with Jason yet and it was looking more and more like she was going to have a permanent house guest. Which wouldn’t be so bad but he took so long in the bathroom that morning that it had made Scully late, thus just catching the nine o’clock flight out here. For which she still had no idea why she was here. “I’m on the north east corner of 7th and Hunter, just like you asked. Only you’re not here. So where are you?”

“Oh, around.” He replied in a cheeky tone.

God damn it Mulder! She thought to herself, she had already spent $35 on a cab ride here and she desperately wanted a cup of coffee. “Yeah.” She pressed waiting for more information.

“Hey nice outfit!” She heard a voice call and turned around to give the catcaller a piece of her mind. Of course, it was Mulder, he was standing in some sort of elevator that came out of the ground. Well he certainly made an entrance. She thought to herself before walking over to meet him.

“Hey.” She said nodding to the elevator. “What’s down there?”

“Well, before you check out down there. Check out up there.” He said pointing to the roof of the building next to them. She looked up to the top of the tall building. “Top two floors are leased to one Jimmy Cutrona, whose name you might be familiar with.”

Scully nodded. “Organized crime. The Bureau’s been trying to build a racketeering case against him for the past few years. Gambling, extortion, murder.”

“Which is why last night there were two agents parked across the street in surveillance.” He said pointing to where the surveillance car had been parked. “They witnessed a man being thrown from Cutrona’s roof at 10:40 PM.” Scully raised her eyebrows. That’s certainly one way to get caught, she thought. “This man fell thirty floors, plus the distance down this shaft because the doors just happened to be open, straight through, nothing but net.”

“Ouch” Said Scully.

“I’m guessing that’s what he said. After he got up and climbed out of here and scampered off into the night.” He gestured to Scully to follow him onto the platform, he pushed the button and they began the decent into the basement of the hotel.

“Mulder you keep saying this man, who is this man?” Scully asked, turning on her flashlight and pointing it into the darkened basement.

Mulder shook his head. “No idea, he got away. The agents gave chase but no clear description.”

“Was this basement thoroughly searched?” She asked, wondering how a man who had just fallen all that way could evade two trained agents.

“No, technically falling three hundred feet and surviving isn’t a crime.” He joked.

“And your theory is?” Scully asked, wondering what tale Mulder was going to spin her this time.

“What if this man has some kind of special capability? Some kind of genetic predisposition towards rapid healing or tissue regeneration?” He postured.

“So, basically, what if we were looking for Wile E. Coyote?” she said flatly. Mulder looked exasperated. “You’re saying that he’s invulnerable, right?”

“Uh.” Mulder tried to think of how to explain his theory.

“You know in 1998 there was a British soldier who plummeted 4,500 feet when his parachute failed, and he walked away with a broken rib.” She said.

Mulder looked at her perplexed. “What’s your point?” He asked.

“My point is that if there’s a wind gust, or a sudden updraft. And, plus, if he landed in exactly the right way…. I mean, I don’t know. Maybe he just got lucky.” She said. Damn she wanted a better explanation than that. Well that’s what you get for airline coffee.

“What if he got really, really lucky? That’s your big scientific explanation Scully.” He laughed and she flashed her torch in his eyes. “I mean, how many thousands of variables would have to convene in just the right mixture for that theory to hold water?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed, she was already thinking the same thing, it’s still better than your Wile E. Coyote theory. She looked around for any evidence that would clear things up.

“Well, thousands.” He pressed.

But she wasn’t paying attention anymore. She was looking at the broken wheels of a cart nearby. “Mulder.”

“Yeah.” He replied.

“Look at this.” She said shining her light on the broken wheels. “If this cart were on the platform when he hit. That would explain the condition of these wheels.” He moved in to have a better look. “And what if this whole thing had just enough give to save his life?” she shook the cart to feel if it had any give.

“We’d have to find him to ask him.” Said Mulder looking through the towels and sheets in the cart.

“Yeah, we have to find him.” Said Scully, not sure how we are supposed to do that. She thought.

She was looking around the basement for anything else they could find, blood maybe for DNA if he was on file. Of course they would need a warrant to collect the blood anyway, which they won’t get because it’s not a crime scene. Maybe he dropped his wallet during the fall, Scully joked to herself. That would make life very easy.

Mulder was still looking through the cart when she heard something fall near him. It must have flicked out when he was pawing through. She shined her light on it and moved closer, Mulder right next to her. They crouched down, as Mulder turned the small round white thing over. It was a glass eye. “Looks like maybe we found part of him already.” He threw the eye up in the air and caught it.

Scully gave him a look. “That’s evidence Mulder, don’t play with it.” She put her hand out and he handed it to her. “Well.” She said examining it in the light. “There’s no serial number or anything trackable on it, we might be able to pull DNA off of it, if he’s in the system.”

“I have a better idea Scully.” Said Mulder and he stood up and walked over to the elevator. She followed him wondering what he was up to.

He didn’t say a word as they rose back up to the street. He just walked over to a phone booth and pulled out the phonebook that was in there. “Hey Scully, you got a Quarter?” He asked flipping the book open to the optometrist section.

“You’re not serious Mulder? Are you really going to ring every optometrist in the Chicago area?” there had to be thousands of people with glass eyes, and the doctors had no reason to give out their patients confidential information.

“Yep, do you want to help? I’ll take this one.” He said pointing to the top name and pulling out his cell phone.


	7. Chapter 7

 

Feb 10 2000 10:23 AM

They were standing outside a dilapidated old building in Melrose Park, Scully was a bit happier after getting a cup of coffee into herself while they made their phone calls. She still couldn’t believe they were here. “I think you’re taking a flier here, Mulder. There’s got to be at least six hundred people with prosthetic eyes in the greater Chicago area.” He rang a buzzer.

“Yeah but only this one Henry Weems made an appointment this morning to get a new one.” He still couldn’t believe how lucky they were that they even got this lead. If it wasn’t for the ditsy receptionist who didn’t realise that she didn’t have to give out private information about patients to the police, they wouldn’t even have this name.

He rang the buzzer again. Still no response. “Maybe he can’t see his way to the door.” Scully joked.

She’d been joking a lot more recently, like she was more relaxed. Mulder hoped that he had something to do with that, as he smiled at her. Just then an old woman dragging a cart walked out of the building. Mulder quickly grabbed the door before it shut. “Come on, Scully. I’m feeling lucky.” He said and they walked inside. “So, how’s Charlie doing?” he asked as they made their way to the elevator.

Scully groaned. “He’s driving me nuts! I mean, he’s my brother, I love him. But I miss my space you know?”

Mulder nodded and rubbed her back while they walked. When they reached the elevator he hit the button and turned to look at her. “So what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to have a talk with him when we get back, see if I can’t encourage him to find a place nearby.” She said as they walked into the elevator.

“Charlie seems like a good guy, I’m sure he will understand.” Said Mulder. They got off when they reached the third floor and started looking for Mr Weems apartment 313.

As they were checking the doors a woman came out. “Can you help me?” She asked. “It’s an Emergency.” She pointed back to her apartment and Mulder and Scully followed behind as she led them to the trouble.

When they got into the apartment they saw the woman gesture to the kitchen sink which was spraying out water at an alarming rate. “Ah, Ma’am we’re not plumbers.” Scully pointed out to the woman.

“I didn’t say you were, I just want the damned water turned off so that I can go to work.” She pick up a shifter from the table next to her and handed it to Mulder. “Look, you got to be stronger than me, right? Valves under the sink.”

Scully tried not to laugh and Mulder shot her a terrified look, he took the shifter off of the woman and headed over to the sink. “You’re ah, building super….. Henry Weems….. He isn’t around?” He asked as he ducked down under the sink.

“Mr dependable? Might as well wait for Jimmy Hoffa to show up.” She said with a sigh.

Scully noticed a young boy, maybe twelve walked up to see what all the fuss was about. He must be the woman’s son, she thought. He looked sickly, like he had lost a lot of weight fast. Cancer? She guessed. But he had a full head of hair.

He was watching Mulder with interest. “You’re turning it the wrong way.” He said to him. And Mulder turned back to give him a look.

“Hey, Ritchie, Sweetheart. Back in bed.” Said his mother turning him around.

“But Mom….” He whined.

“Butts are for sitting, and I want yours back in bed. He’s right,” She said to Mulder. “Clockwise.”

Mulder had just about had enough of this. He was wedged under the sink his pants were getting soaked and his jacket was getting dust all over it. He didn’t even know this woman and she had asked him for help. “I know that.” He shot at her. Scully was still trying not to laugh at her partner. He probably never even unclogged a toilet in his life, she thought. “Clockwise.” Mulder repeated as he moved to rectify his mistake.

But as he started turning it the other way the whole valve snapped of in the shifter. Water came pouring out soaking Mulder completely as he stood up. Scully covered her smile and hid her eyes. He was cute when he was flustered, she thought. Just then a creaking sound came from the floor. She blinked and he was gone! Where he stood a moment ago was a large hole with water dripping down into the apartment below.

She grabbed the woman’s arm pulling her away from the kitchen and cautiously walked as close to the hole as she dared. She kneeled down to distribute her weight more evenly and pulled out her flashlight. She was relieved when she could see Mulder sitting up against the cabinet in the apartment below. “You okay Mulder?” She called.

“Yeah, it’s alright.” He called back to her. “My ass broke the fall.” He can’t be that badly hurt she thought if he is making jokes. “Guess who I found.” He said to her before looking at a person hiding from Scully’s view. “Henry Weems I presume?”

The man stepped into her view and looked up at the damage. “Don’t worry Maggie I’ll fix it. He called up to the woman behind Scully.

He helped Mulder up and the two of them headed upstairs to the apartment Scully and the woman were in. the woman excused herself and went to go check on her son, leaving Scully a good two minutes to laugh at poor Mulder as they made their way upstairs.

After five minutes under the sink with the kitchen table upturned to cover the hole. Henry had the water off. He turned to the woman, Maggie he called her. “I’ll get some wood and repair this by tomorrow I promise.” She just shook her head at him and handed Mulder a towel. Before grabbing her purse and walking out the door.

“Ritchie’s probably sleeping, come on. I’ll take you to my apartment.” Said Henry walking across the hall to his place. When they got inside he said to Mulder. “Next time leave the plumbing to a professional.”

Mulder dried his face and looked around, Henry Weems apartment was small, his furniture looked cheap and he had shelves full of gadgets and useless junk. “Oh uh… he reached into his pocket and retrieved the prosthetic eye he was carrying. He quickly dried it with the towel. “Want to try this on for size Cinderella?” He asked holding it out to the man.

Henry turned around and excitedly picked up the eye he reached into a draw and pulled out a cleaning cloth.

“Mr Weems,” Asked Scully. “Why were you hiding in a vacant apartment?”

“Not hiding, avoiding.” He corrected.

“Avoiding whom?” Asked Scully.

“You people, now that you’ve found me, let’s just get it over with. No way am I testifying against Jimmy Cutrona.” He said and went back to polishing his eye.

“Last night, Cutrona had you thrown of the roof of 1107 Hunter Avenue, is that correct?” Asked Scully.

“You didn’t hear it from me.” Said Henry. “I’m not letting you people move me to Muncie Indiana, to milk cows.”

“More to the point,” Began Mulder. “You survived a, uh, three hundred foot fall, essentially un-” Henry was putting his prosthetic eye back in right in front of them. Mulder had seen some disgusting things working for violent crimes but that was just gross. “Harmed.” He finished with a grimace. He looked over to see if Scully was grossed out, but of course she wasn’t. She smiled at him telling him with her eyes that she had just taken one of his man points.

“I don’t know, Maybe the wind was just right…. And I landed on a bunch of towels, no biggie.” Said Henry.

“You got lucky.” Confirmed Scully. And Mulder sighed internally, he knew that he was never going to hear the end of this one.

“Yeah, I guess, except, you should look at my bruise.” Said Henry rolling up the sleeve of his right arm and showing of a nice red graze on his elbow.

“Oh” Said Mulder in mock sympathy turning back to Scully again.

“Plus I didn’t get to keep my poker winnings.” Said Henry, believing their concern.

“So that’s what you were doing there last night, playing poker?” Asked Scully.

“Cutrona thought I was cheating. I wasn’t, but like I said. You didn’t hear it from me.”

“Must have been a high stakes game, I imagine. Did you win a lot of money?” Asked Mulder.

Henry shrugged. “I don’t know……. A little.” He sat down at the desk and started fiddling with a contraption that looked homemade.

Mulder looked over the machine. There were wires and lightbulbs and marbles built into the thing, it looked like a homemade version of the game mousetrap but instead of a trap at the end there was a little wooden figure with a noose around his neck standing on a wooden platform. “What is that?” He asked. “Did you make it?”

Henry looked up at him. “Uh huh, it’s sort of a hobby.” He explained.

“Mmhmm.” Said Mulder. “Mind if I?” he asked and flicked a leaver at the front. The leaver let out a metal marble that created a chain reaction of different parts of the machine ending in a trap door under the little wooden man opening, effectively hanging the toy. “Ah.” He said in appreciation. “That’s craftsmanship. What does it mean?”

“What do you mean, what does it mean? It doesn’t mean anything. I just sort of…. I don’t know”

“Its cause and effect.” Said Mulder.

Henry rolled his eyes. “So are we done here?” He asked.

“Mr Weems can I ask you to reconsider testifying against Cutrona?” Asked Scully.

“Nope…. No way Jose.” He said committedly.

“Well it would be in your best interest. He’s tried to kill you once, and he will undoubtedly do it again.” She said.

“Yeah” Agreed Mulder. “We can protect you.”

Henry looked at the pair seriously. “I’ll take my chances.”

They nodded. That was that, and turned to leave.


	8. Chapter 8

 

Feb 10 2000 11:15 AM

They were standing by the elevator, Scully had just pushed the call button. Their case was over and she was eager to get back to D.C. Her brother didn’t expect her home tonight and she was hoping to spend the night at Mulders.

“So, here’s the plan as I see it. We inform the Chicago field office about Weems, leaving it to them to secure his testimony. You, change your clothes, we fly back to D.C by sunset. And all is right with the world.” She tried to express her desire with her eyes. She didn’t want to ask to stay, she wanted him to offer.

“Come on Scully, you’re going to dump this case just as its getting interesting.” He said, missing all her subtle cues. It was interesting, it’s one thing when he thought there was some kind of super powers involved. But luck? Who is _that_ lucky? He’d said it before, thousands of variables. There had to be more to it.

“Interesting, Mulder was when we were looking for Wile E. Coyote.” Said Scully frustration setting in. “Come on, Mulder. This guy just got lucky. There’s no X File here.”

“Maybe his luck is the X File.” He replied.

Scully shot him a look. Of course you want to stay and chase this, she thought. This is why we wouldn’t work, your work will always come first. She pressed the button for the lift again, must be broken. Just like everything else in this damn building. “Stairs.” She said to Mulder and turned to the stairwell door and walked through not bothering to see if he was following.

“Scully.” He said catching up to her.

She stopped on the stairs and turned to face him. “What?” she said in a flat tone.

“You seem, I don’t know….. Angry at me.” He said and waited for the rage to come out.

“I’m not angry, I just don’t see why we need to pursue this any further.” She said trying to keep her voice level.

“I really do think there is still a case here.” He started to explain. She sighed and started walking down the stairs. “Don’t you think that it’s amazingly lucky for Weems to have fallen that far and only have a bruise to show for it?” he said following her.

“Yes, it is very lucky, but I still don’t know why that’s an X File.” She shot at him.

“All I’m asking for is one day, just to see if Weems has any more lucky coincidences.” He said reaching out and pulling her to a stop on the landing. She looked up at him and sighed. “I’ll give you a back rub back at the hotel.” He flirted.

She rolled her eyes at him. “One day.” She turned and started walking down again. “And it better be the best massage you have ever given.” She said, glad he couldn’t see the smile on her face.

They reached the bottom of the steps and started walking to the front door, Mulder easily outpaced her with his long legs but as he reached the door he slowed down and put his hand in his pocket. “Oh.” Shit! Where are my keys? He thought and turned to Scully to get her to stop the door before it closed, but he was too late. “Car keys,” He explained as she rolled her eyes. “Must have lost them when I fell.” What an idiot. He turned to the buzzer and rang Weems apartment to get let back in.

A gunshot rang out from inside the building. Scully grabbed her weapon as Mulder pulled on the door trying to get back in. it locked tight. He groaned and began to shake the door by the knob as Scully walked back to the buzz box. She was just about to start calling random numbers in the hopes of someone letting them in when Mulder gave it one last shake. The door popped open, they looked at each other, silently passing judgment on the old building and headed inside. He pulled out his gun and they ran for the stairs they had just walked down.

When they reached the third floor they left the stairwell and headed towards Weems apartment. They knew that the shot could have come from anywhere in the building, but who else had the mob after him?

When they arrived at the apartment they were presented with a rather strange scene. The front door was open, and a man was hanging from the ceiling fan by his foot. Scully walked over to the man to check for a pulse carefully stepping around the broken lamp and ironing board that were on the floor. While Mulder checked the apartment for anyone else.

She pressed her fingers into the hanging man’s neck. Nothing, no pulse. She turned back to Mulder as he walked around the corner. “Anything?” She asked.

“Nothing, Weems is gone, there doesn’t appear to be any damage in any other part of the place.” He nodded to the hanging man. “Dead?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’ll call the local PD.” She said and pulled out her phone.

While she was on the phone Mulder looked around the apartment’s living room, trying to piece together what had happened, they had only been gone for two minutes. There was a broken lamp on the floor with what looked like a bullet hole in it. A couch flipped over on its side. An ironing board on its side dented on one side, with the iron sitting not too far away burning a hole in the rug. He walked over to the switch and turned it off the last thing they needed now was a fire.

“Local PD were already on their way, they received multiple calls from the building occupants.” She sighed. “I guess I should go down stairs and meet them.”

He nodded and followed her out to the corridor, someone needed to stay at the scene to make sure nothing was touched. “I want the building searched for Weems.” He said to her.

She shot him a look, she knew what needed to be done and didn’t appreciate him telling her how to do her job. He didn’t make any reply or acknowledge the look, his eyes had that faraway look that he sometimes got when an interesting puzzle was in front of him. There would be no pulling him out of this case now, she thought and headed downstairs.

When she reached the front door she was pleased to see that there were already cops waiting on the other side for her. She opened the door and pulled out her badge. “Special Agent Dana Scully, my partner’s upstairs, we were the first on the scene.”

“Officer Murphy, and this is Detective Bowers.” Said the uniform clad man gesturing and the plain clothed man beside him.

“The scene is in the apartment of one Henry Weems, Small man maybe 5.6’ Caucasian, with dark balding hair. He was most likely at the scene during the shooting and is probably still in the building. Officer Murphy I need you to set up a search team to find him, he is not considered a suspect and he isn’t dangerous. Make sure to check all vacant apartments he has been known to hide out in them before. Detective Bowers, has the coroners team been notified?”

“Ah, yes ma’am they should be here shortly.” Said the detective, feeling slightly intimidated by the petite red headed agent.

Scully nodded. “Send them up to apartment three thirteen when they arrive.” She looked at both men who still stood in front of her. “Alright?” Both men shook themselves and went about the tasks they were given, she sighed and made her way up the stairs to the apartment for the third time today.

Mulder was standing in the doorway to the apartment with his head tilted to the side looking at the crime scene when she arrived. “Any ideas?” She asked him.

“A few, I want to wait for the coroner.” He replied. They stood in silence at the door while they waited for the police team both pondering the unusual scene in front of them.

Before too long the coroner and his team arrived and entered the apartment. The officers wanted photos of everything before anything was touched. Mulder stood by the body watching the photographer work while Scully stood in the corner conversing with Officer Murphy who had followed the coroner’s team in.

Detective Bowers walked up and introduced himself to Mulder before looking at the body. He was shocked, he knew the dead man. “That’s Angie the Animal!”

“I’m sorry?” Asked Mulder.

“Angelo Bellini, He’s Cutrona’s enforcer. You think that Weems guy did that?” Asked the detective.

“No……. I very much doubt it.” Said Mulder, but he wasn’t really paying attention to the detective he was staring at the man known as the animal. His attention was brought back to the people in the room by the flash and sound of the photographer’s camera. “So, do you get many of these?” he asked. Not really expecting an answer. Sure enough the photographer just gave him a look before continuing with his work.

Scully, who had just finished talking to the officer turned to face Mulder. “So, uh, they’ve searched the entire building, and there so sign of Henry Weems. I’m guessing that on the run.” She said moving around to stand next to him.

“Our dead man’s name is Angelo Bellini, aka Angie the Animal. He’s an enforcer for the Cutrona family, and I don’t think his visit was friendly.” He said with a smile.

“You think Weems could have killed him in self-defence?” Asked Scully. She couldn’t believe that.

“Skinny guy with no depth perception against a man nicknamed The Animal? I don’t think so.” He joked. She looked at him shaking her head. “You and I both know Weems didn’t kill anybody, besides we were just gone for two minutes.” He looked at the dead man. “This guy doesn’t have a scratch on him. I’m thinking it was a heart attack.”

Scully looked from the man to her partner, he was right, Bellini didn’t look like he’d been touched. But how did he end up hanging by his shoelaces? “What the hell happened here, Mulder?” She asked.

He looked at her seriously. “Cause, and effect.”

“Meaning?” she had no idea where this was going.

“Okay…. So, watch.” He said and headed for the door. “So Bellini kicks down the door. WAHGA!” He said pretending to kick down an invisible door. “Poised to kill Weems right?” He said holding his fingers out like a mock gun.

Scully looked at him trying to keep her face serious in amongst the half a dozen law enforcement that had stopped what they were doing to watch Mulders impromptu enactment.

“But just as he’s about to pull the trigger, a noise startles him. The buzzer! When I buzzed to be let back into the apartment. So when he does pull the trigger, his aim is off, right?” he checks to see if she is following his thinking. “And he hits the lamp which falls over and knocks over the ironing board, so as the bullet ricochets, Weems dives over the sofa. Now when Bellini goes for him, he trips over the ironing board, bounces off the chair, flips end over end and his shoe laces get caught in the fan. QED.” He finished.

He and Scully stood there laughing at the ridiculousness of the explanation until Bellini’s shoelace snapped and he came crashing down. They turned to watch him fall. “Cause and effect.” Said Mulder. “Seemingly unrelated and unconnected events and occurrences that appear unrelated and random beforehand, but which seem to chain react in Henry Weems favour”

“Dumb luck?” Said Scully incredulously.

“Yeah, he seems to have tapped into it somehow, he won big at poker, he survived getting thrown off a skyscraper, and now this.”

She shook her head it him, about to launch in to how preposterous his theory was, conveniently forgetting that it was, in fact, her theory first. When she saw the young boy from the flooded apartment walk up to the door to Weems apartment. “Hang on a second.” She said to Mulder.

“Okay.”

She quickly moved to intersect him before he saw the body. “Hey. Your names Ritchie right?”

“Yeah.” He replied.

“I’m Dana” She reached out and shook the boy’s hand.

“Hi” He said quietly.

“Why don’t we, uh, head back to your room? I’m sure that’s what your mom would want.” She said turning him around and walking back towards his neighbouring apartment.

They steered clear of the ruined kitchen and down a short hallway to his room. It was a typical boy’s room, the floor littered with toys and clothes. Posters, mostly of baseball, dotted the walls next to baseball hats and participation ribbons. His curtains and bedspread were covered in logos for the Bears, next to the bed was an IV drip. He was obviously a very sick young man. She tucked him back in the bed and sat down next to him. “So I’m guessing you’re a sports fan. Which one’s your favourite?”

“Well, it use to be basketball. But now the Bulls suck, so I think maybe baseball.” Said Ritchie.

“I like baseball too.” Said Scully, thinking about the time that Mulder had taught her how to play. He had wrapped his arms around her and together they had hit baseballs for hours. That was before their first kiss. For a while during that night she was sure he was going to kiss her, the way he cuddled in close to her. His mouth inches away from her ear, his hand on her hip. But he didn’t. She looked around the room and saw an interesting contraption set up in the corner of the room, it looked like one of those cause and effect machines that Weems had in his apartment only it was made out of brightly coloured plastic. “Did Henry make this for you?” The boy nodded, and Scully reached out to ring the bell that set the mechanism off. It whirred through its different reactions, a bouncy ball sliding down a pole and a car racing around a track to culminate in a perfect three point shot with a mini basketball and hoop. “That’s pretty neat.”

“Yeah, he made it for me when I was in the hospital. He said….. It’s cause everything happens for a reason. Only just sometimes it’s hard for us to see. “

She had noticed the pill bottles near the IV, Prednisone, “You went to hospital because of you liver?” She asked knowing that Prednisone is used to treat inflammation and autoimmune disorders, and coupled with the IV full of fluids, she took an educated guess.

“It doesn’t work so good.” Explained Ritchie. “Police looking for Henry?” He asked.

“Yeah, they just want to talk to him. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?” She kept her voice soft, she didn’t want to alarm the boy.

“Na uh, since I got sick he hardly ever goes out.”

She nodded. “Well, you need to get some rest, I’m sure your mom doesn’t want you out of bed right now.” She said and got up to leave. “Be good Ritchie.” She said at the door and headed back to Weems’s apartment.

Mulder was standing by the front door as she walked up, he turned to her. “Boy give you any leads?”

“He knows nothing.” They turned and headed out of the building. “Mulder, as to your theory, why would the worlds most supernaturally luck man work as a building superintendent? I mean, why doesn’t he just run down to the Illinois State Lottery, enter and, you know, he’d win automatically?” She asked as he opened the door to the stairwell.

“I don’t know Scully, maybe it doesn’t work like that. Maybe it needs to be organic, in the moment.” He said walking down the stairs

“In the moment.” She said with disbelief.

“I don’t have all the answers yet, I can’t see the whole picture. I just know there’s more to it.” He explained.

“Well you know what I know,” Said Scully as they exited the stairwell and headed to the front door, it was propped open with a piece of wood and two officers stood guard by the entry.

“What’s that?” Asked Mulder, pulling out the keys he had swiped from Henrys tool box in his apartment. Henry must have picked them up when he was turning off the water in that woman’s apartment.

“I know that there is a deep dish Chicago pizza with my name on it.” She said with a smile.

“One pizza coming up.” He opened her door to the car and she slid in.


	9. Chapter 9

 

Feb 10 2:15 PM

 

Scully sat in the car seat feeling content and full, she and Mulder had shared a famous Deep dish pie at one of the local pizzerias. Now she was waiting for him out the front of the local library, he had said something about checking out old newspapers for stories about Weems. She thought they would have better luck through the usual channels so she had begun the ring around for a background check.

She started to get frustrated with the little information she was getting. She got out of the car to call their contact back at Quantico to see if he could give them any more information. She had just been put on hold while her friend did some digging when Mulder came up behind her. “Hey Scully.” He said waving a folder that was probably filled with more info than she had collected. She shot him a look and pointed at her phone, letting him know that she didn’t want to be disturbed. He waved an apology to her and got in the car. She sighed and checked her watch, she had been on hold for almost ten minutes now.

“Agent Scully?” A voice sounded out from her phone.

“Yes! What have you got?” she asked excitedly.

“Nothing.” Came the reply

“Nothing….. How can you have nothing?” she said frustrated.

“Well, we know he was born in Chicago, his parents are deceased, natural causes, and he holds down a job. He has never even had a parking fine.”

“That’s it, got nothing else?” She asked.

“No, nothing. I’m sorry Agent Scully.”

She sighed. “Okay. Thank you.” She said and hung up. She opened the car door and sat down in the passenger seat, and waited for Mulder to fill her in on what he found.

Mulder was sitting in the driver seat looking at newspaper cuttings that were in the folder. “Henry Weems has no police record I assume?” He asked her.

“He has no record of any kind, Mulder. He doesn’t earn enough in a year to file tax returns. He has no savings account, no checking account, no insurance. Doesn’t even have a video rental card for that matter. He doesn’t even have a drivers licence! I mean, it’s like he is intentionally stayed off the radar. He’s retired from the world.” She said completely stumped.

“Ever since December 1989.” Said Mulder handing her some newspaper clippings. “When a commuter jet crashed into Lake Michigan carrying 21 passengers. There was one survivor.”

“Henry.” She said looking at the clippings, they were stories on the crash and the lone survivor.

“Yeah, that’s how he lost his eye.” She turned to face him. “Snowy night, Christmas rush, he’d been bumped from three previous flights before they finally found a seat for him on that fateful plane. Guess what seat number.” He said.

“Thirteen?” She replied, after all, this all had to do with luck didn’t it.

“On flight seven.” He finished.

“More good luck, you’re saying?”

“Well call it good or bad, but maybe that’s where it all started. What if a brand new Henry Weems was plucked from the wreckage? One whose fortunes had been irrevocably, permanently changed?” Scully was looking at him with her patented you’re crazy face. Plane crashed didn’t cause permanent good luck, she thought. He rushed to tell her. “Before 1989, Henry held down a job for nine years at a train yard, but after the accident, as you said it’s like he disappeared of the face of the earth. He severed ties with all his friends and moved out to Melrose Park.”

“Mulder, there are millions of reasons for that. Including survivor’s guilt. I mean, what doesn’t track for me is why Henry Weems would drop of the map just because he suddenly became incredibly lucky.” His theory didn’t make sense, if you were suddenly incredibly lucky, wouldn’t you cash in on it?

“What doesn’t track for me is why he’s resurfaced after all these years. Why he’s suddenly decided to use his luck in this way.”

Just then her cell phone rang. “Scully.” She said.

“Agent Scully its Officer Murphy, we got something you might want to take a look at.”

She looked over to Mulder. “What’s that Officer?”

“Can you get down to Felicity’s Mini mart on 34th Avenue, there’s been an accident and we think it might involve your guy.” Said Murphy.

She cupped the phone with her hand and said to Mulder “34th Avenue Felicity’s Mini mart.” He nodded and took off in the direction of the avenue. “Can you tell me what happened?” She asked Murphy.

“Some young punk got hit by a truck, but there’s some dispute over a winning instant lottery ticket.”

“And how does this involve Weems?” She asked.

“Well according to the shop owner, a man fitting that description was the initial winner of the ticket.”

“Is he still there?” Scully asked excitedly.

“No Ma’am.” Came the reply.

“Okay, we’ll be there as soon as we can.” She said and hung up the phone. Mulder looked over at her curiously. “Apparently Henry won the lottery.”


	10. Chapter 10

 

Feb 10 2000 4:10 PM

They arrived back at the Melrose Park Apartments, after coming to the conclusion that, Henry must have overheard Scully make her comment about winning the lottery. Scully sighed and shut the car door. It had been a long day, and all she wanted to do was go home and have a long bath. They had just come from the scene of a car accident where a young man had been hit by a truck after collecting the winning lottery ticket that Weems had thrown away. For the luckiest man in the world, he sure left a path of destruction in his wake, she thought.

She looked over at her partner as he smoothed back his dark hair. She didn’t know much about luck, but she certainly felt like she had won the lottery with him. Every time she looked at him she could see the love in his eyes, it scared her sometimes. But he was so patient with her, waiting for her to be ready to move forward. She didn’t deserve it. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, she needed to stay focused on the case. “So what are we looking for?” She asked him.

“Henry must have overheard you, which means he has a hiding place somewhere in the building that was overlooked.” He said walking up to the still propped open front door.

He was thinking about luck, and what he would do if he was lucky like Henry. He didn’t need money, his father had left him with plenty when he died. Maybe it wouldn’t have taken so long to get Scully in his life if he had that kind of luck, or at least, he might not have made her life so miserable. If he had been lucky, he would have found her before she had been abducted. If he had been lucky, she never would have gotten cancer. He snuck a glance at her walking up the stairs next to her. She had that determined look in her eyes and carried herself with such strength. You would never guess from looking at her, how much hurt she had suffered from working with him. How much hurt he had inflicted on her, and yet she still stayed. Even more so now than ever before. He wondered what he would do in the future to drive her away, it would happen eventually. One day she would wake up and realise he wasn’t worth saving. One day she would wake up and realise what she has lost because of him.

“What are you thinking about?” She asked, startling him out of his depression.

They had reached the third floor and he hadn’t realised that he had just stopped on the landing. “Where Henry could have been hiding, it must have been close enough to overhear. Are there any vacant apartments on this floor?” He covered quickly.

“I don’t think so, but we could check his apartment and Ritchie’s.” She said walking out into the hallway.

They walked down to Ritchie’s apartment and knocked on the door, there was no answer. Mulder tried the door knob and found it unlocked. They walked inside, careful to be quiet in case the boy was sleeping. They check all the usual hiding places, closets and behind furniture. There didn’t appear to be any place in the apartment that he could have hid without detection. After confirming with each other that he wasn’t there the moved on to Weems’s apartment.

Scully opened the door and Mulder stood back. “You go ahead Scully, I want to check out the hall.” He said to her. She shrugged and walked into the apartment.

Mulder wandered along the hallway, he had walked a few feet when he spotted it. An old heating duct, it looked big enough for a person to crawl through, and it was only held in place by one rusted screw. He walked over to it and crouched down to look at it closer. When he pulled at it, the grate came away easily. He pulled out his flashlight and looked inside. There was definitely enough room in there for a person, especially one as small as Weems, to fit.

Scully walked out of the apartment. “Well, he’s not at his place and he’s not with Ritchie.” She said looking at the vent that he was inspecting. “You think he hid in there?”

“He doesn’t hide, he avoids.” Corrected Mulder.

“Pretty damn well I would say.” She replied. “That thing must go all over the building, Mulder.” He could be anywhere, she thought. “I’ll start with the roof.” She said with a sigh. “If you want to start with the basement?”

The walked back to the stairs to start their search all over again, Scully headed up towards the roof and Mulder headed down. But as he reached the landing for the second floor, he thought about the vacant apartment he had fallen into earlier. He doubted that Weems would go back there, but he did appear to be a creature of habit. He stood there indecisively for a moment, oh what the hell, I’m already here. He thought and walked out into the hallway.

When he reached the apartment door he found it locked, he looked around to see if there was anyone watching and pulled out his lock picking kit. Technically he was committing a felony by entering a locked premises without a warrant. But that never seemed to bother him much. He made quick work of the door and stepped into the apartment.

It looked empty and quiet, there wasn’t much for Henry to hide out in, but then he caught sight of another heating vent. He stared at it trying to see if he could make out what’s behind it. There! A flash of movement. He quickly reached down and snatched off the grate revealing the man hiding behind it.

He grabbed Weems and pulled him out of the vent. “Hey. Hey! Watched the rough stuff!” Cried Weems.

“Henry Weems, you’re a hard man to track down.” Said Mulder pulling the small man up by the shoulders.

“I’m working here!” He shouted indignantly.

“Oh?” Said Mulder dragging him across the room to sit on an old table that the previous occupants had left behind. “You and I are going to have a talk. You just sit right here and don’t move, okay?”

“Tough guy.” Shot Weems when Mulder had released him.

Mulder smiled and pulled out his phone he had just hit the call button when he heard Weems say “Oh crap, not again.” He barely had time to react when the door was flung open by a man wielding a gun. He dropped his phone and went for his weapon his fingers brushing the leather clip that held the gun to his belt when a shot rang out.

Everything happened in an instant. The bullet hit Henry in the chest and bounced off him ricocheting around the room. It clipped Mulder in the arm before coming to a halt in the shooters back.

Scully ran in the room behind the man with her gun raised. She had heard the shot from the stairwell and run to find them. She looked at the scene in front of her. Both men had their hands up, Mulders gun still firmly in his holster, and yet the man on the floor clearly had a gunshot wound in his back.

She watched as Weems reached into his chest pocked and pulled out a pair of pliers with a noticeable dent in the handle. “What on earth happened here?” She asked before noticing Mulders arm was hurt. “Oh Mulder, your bleeding.” She said rushing over to him.

“I’m fine, check on him.” Said Mulder gesturing to the man on the floor. She moved back to the shooter and applied pressure to the wound while Mulder retrieved his phone and dialled 911.

It took less than ten minutes for the EMT’s to reach them, as soon as they took over from Scully she moved to check on her partner. The bullet had grazed his arm leaving a nice deep cut. “You’re going to need stiches.”

He let out a light chuckle. “It never feels like we are getting anywhere with a case unless one of us ends up in hospital.” He said.

Scully rolled her eyes, trust him to make jokes when he’s been hurt. The EMT’s had finished putting the shooter on to a gurney and were preparing to head back to the ambulance. “Excuse me Agent Mulder, if you think you can walk we’d like to get you in the ambulance now.” Said one of the EMT’s, he turned to Scully. “Will you be riding along?”

Scully opened her mouth to answer. “No.” Said Mulder hurriedly. “He is.” He pointed at Henry who had been sitting on the table staring at his pliers for the past ten minutes. Scully looked up at her partner furious. “I need you to do something for me Scully.” Explained Mulder.

“Okay,” She said calming down, it must be important if he didn’t want her to take care of Weems. “I’ll meet you at the hospital, what do you need?”

“Can you please pick me up a packet of playing cards?” Said Mulder handing her the car keys.

“Cards? Mulder, you want me to pick up cards?” She was getting angry again.

“Yes, can you please just do it Scully?” Said Mulder, flashing her his best wounded puppy dog eyes.

She shook her head, speechless, and threw her hands up. “Fine.” She said and walked out of the room.

She couldn’t believe him! He had just been shot and he wants to play cards? Why couldn’t he just tell her what he was thinking? Why did it always have to be such a mystery? If he thought that his half formed ideas were going to sound any crazier than his fully formed theories, she had news for him.

She stomped down the stairs feeling the rage set into her bones. That’s it! If he doesn’t start sharing with me I am never going to sleep with him again, she thought. How did he always manage to work her up like this? She had never met anyone in her entire life who made her this angry, not even Bill or her Dad, or Daniel. She had spent so many years working on her carefully constructed walls, if she built them high enough no one could ever make her cry. But he just breezed over them like they were made of paper. She loved that he made her feel passionate, maybe for the first time ever in her life. But was it worth the pain and frustration that went with it?

Mulder watched her storm out, hoping that she would calm down before they met up at the hospital. It wasn’t that he meant to upset her, he just didn’t like to explain his theories until they could be proven. Especially to her, she was so smart and analytical. He loved how she made him work for every idea he had. He had hoped that after seven years of working together, she would be a little more of a believer, especially after everything that they had gone through. But then again, how would he stay grounded if she did?

But things were different now, it was almost like he was reliving their first year working together. But there was so much more pressure now, he knew who Scully the person was. Who Scully the FBI Agent was, but he had no idea who Scully the girlfriend was. If he could even call her that. If that even incubuses what they were to each other. It was so undefinable. He never knew if he should be focusing on that, or on their work. Their last cast together had gone so well, blending seamlessly. Why wasn’t this one?

He shook his head ruefully and looked at Henry. “Come on, let’s take a ride.”


	11. Chapter 11

 

Feb 10 2000 5:15 PM

Mulder was feeling a little loopy from the pain killers that the doctors had given him before stitching up his wound. He watched the nurse wrap the bandage around his arm with a slight smile on his face.

Henry was sitting on the bed opposite him, watching them clean him up. “Does it hurt?” He asked Mulder.

“Stings a bit.” He confessed. “But I’ll live.” He gingerly put on his now ruined dress shirt and looked up to see Scully approaching, she didn’t look as angry as she had when she left but, she definitely didn’t look pleased. “Come over here Henry, I want to try something.” He said as she walked up and placed the brand new playing cards in his hand.

“What’s that about?” Asked Henry looking at the cards.

“I haven’t a clue.” Said Scully annoyance still tinged her voice.

Mulder pulled the cards out of the packet and started to shuffle. Scully noticed with mild interest that he seemed quite comfortable with cards in his hands, and wondered if he played often.

He finished shuffling and arranged the cards into a neat pile. He then cut the deck showing the bottom card he had just pulled. “Nine of clubs, you go.” He said and held out the stack for Henry to cut.

“What for?” Asked Henry.

“I think you know.” Replied Mulder.

Henry reached out and cut the deck, showing the bottom card he pulled, it was the ten of clubs.

“Uh, you win.” Said Mulder “Double or nothing.” Scully looked at Mulder still unsure what he was trying to prove. But Mulder just shuffled the cards and cut the deck again. This time he pulled the king of diamonds. “Whoo hoo, tough to beat.” He said and held out the stack to the small man. Henry cut the deck, he pulled the ace of spades. “You win again.” said Mulder.

“Mulder, what does that prove?” Asked Scully.

“I think it proves that if we played this ten thousand times in a row, he would win ten thousand times in a row. He’s incapable of losing.” He said to her. Scully looked away and tried to remind herself that he was probably on pain pills. “How does it feel to be the luckiest man in the universe Henry?” He asked.

“It’s a nightmare. You have no idea.” Said Henry, putting his head down.

“No, no I do.” Replied Mulder. “Cause when you get lucky, really, really lucky, people around you tend to suffer, id that right?”

“I think it’s a balance thing.” Explained Henry. “Something good happens to me, and everybody else has to take it in the keister.”

“So you’ve stayed close to home mostly, kept a low profile. But recently you’ve been venturing out a little further. You played poker with those mobsters.” Said Mulder.

“I figured they could stand the trimming. Bunch of goombah jerks. They got issues, man.”

Scully gave Henry a look, they got issues? She thought.

“You don’t mind so much if a few criminals get hurt.” Said Mulder. “But then you went and played the lottery. I don’t…….”

“I knew I shouldn’t have done that!” Admonished Henry. “I needed the money.” He explained.

“For what?” Asked Mulder.

“For Ritchie, right?” Answered Scully. She could tell how much the man cared about him.

Henry sat back down on the bed opposite Mulder his head heavy. “It’s the complications from his Hepatitis. He’s on every donor list they got, but he’s got a rare blood type, B Negative. And he’s CN…… Something.”

“CMV negative. Cytomegalovirus.” Corrected Scully. Which meant that he could only receive donations from other CMV negative donors.

“There’s no way they’re going to find a donor in time.” Said Henry.

Mulder looked at Scully to see if what he was saying was true, she looked down. It hurt her to think that the boy they met today wasn’t going to be around for much longer.

“There’s a treatment program in England. A hundred grand gets him in. it’s experimental, but it’s the best chance he’s got now.” Said Henry. “Am I under arrest?”

“No.” Said Mulder shaking his head.

“However you will need protection from Cutrona and his men.” Added Scully.

Henry reached out to the stack of cards Mulder still held in his hand and pulled out the king of hearts. “I’d say they need protection from me.” He said and walked out of the room.

“I’m sorry Mulder but that was utterly irresponsible.” Said Scully. “You’re feeding the delusions of a man who has had three attempts made on his life. You’re supposed to be talking him into protective custody, not out of it.”

“I’d agree with you, if I thought his life was in danger. As it is he’s doing a better job on Cutrona’s organization than the FBI. I’m wondering if we shouldn’t make him an honorary agent.” Joked Mulder.

“Mulder, you are putting an astounding amount of faith in coincidence and luck. Essentially you’re betting a mans life on it. And even if you believe in so called lucky streaks, you have to know they all eventually end.” She said and reached out to the deck of cards. She cut the deck and flipped over the ace of hearts. She scoffed. “Luckiest man in the world? Hell Mulder, I just beat him.”

Mulder sat there for a second thinking about what she had said and done. Then he stood up and grabbed his coat sailing his arm over Scully as he walked past. “Mulder?” She called after him.

“Come on Scully.” He said jogging to the door.

She had to run to keep up with him as they made their way out of the hospital. But even still she was long behind him when he reached the front doors.

“Henry!!!” He called out as he ran towards the man, he could see one of Cutrona’s men walking toward him. If his luck had truly run out, he would never making it in time.

Henry turned when he heard Mulder call his name and saw the mobster. He stepped out onto the road to create some distance between him and the crook when. Splat. He was hit by a truck.

Mulder ran down to the road and checked Henrys pulse. The force of the impact with the truck had popped out his prosthetic eye. Scully ran up behind him, out of breath. “Is he alive?” She asked him.

“He has a pulse.” Confirmed Mulder. Stepping out of the way while doctors swarmed around Henry checking his vitals.

After the doctors had taken Henry back inside Mulder and Scully headed to the Cafeteria for some coffee. It would be a while before they heard anything so they might as well grab a bite to eat.

As they sat down to eat she couldn’t help but say. “I hope your happy now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked her.

“Well, not five minutes before he ends up in hospital you had him convinced he was the luckiest man in the world.” She said and took a bite of her sandwich.

“I didn’t convince Henry of anything, he already knew what he was.” Shot Mulder. Why couldn’t she just believe him, it’s not like he didn’t have any evidence. Look at everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours.

Scully rolled her eyes. “You can’t measure luck, it doesn’t exist.”

“So do you subscribe to fate then? That some things are just meant to be?”

She pondered on that for a moment. She did believe in fate, at least she used to. She believed that God had a plan for everyone, and that there were signs along the way to help you on your journey. That you would eventually find your true happiness.

But so much bad had happened, her father passing, her mother and brother estranged, Missy, her cancer. I can’t have kids. She quickly squashed that last thought. Dwelling on that only made her sad, and sadness was not helpful. “I don’t know, maybe?” She stood up, leaving half her sandwich still sitting on the table. “I’m going to go check on Henry.” She said and hurried away.

Mulder watched her walk away, wondering what she had been thinking about. He had seen the sadness flash behind her eyes, he knew he was responsible for that sadness. If she had never been assigned to the X files, if she had never met him, she would be happy. Probably married with beautiful redheaded babies. He could never give back what was taken from her. He should be staying away from her, not thinking about inviting her over for a late night sleep over.

He dropped his sandwich back on the plate, suddenly he wasn’t hungry. He sat for a moment, figuring out what to do next, he knew she would need some space. So he sat there for the next twenty minutes, not eating, just watching the people come and go. Eventually he checked his watch and got up. Time to get back to it, he thought and made his way to the Emergency ward that housed Henry.

He saw her as soon as he walked in, she was closing the curtains around Henry’s bed. “How’s he doing?” he asked.

“Well, he’s got a bruised rib and a black eye. It certainly could have been worse.” She said looking up at him. “And don’t tell me he just got lucky.” She joked, feeling more like herself again.

“Far from it.” Admitted Mulder. “Maybe what you said about streaks is right. Looks like his has just about run its course.”

“Well, I don’t mean to make light of his misfortune, but it may have knocked some sense into his head. He’s agreed to testify against Cutrona.”

“Alright, I’ll make the calls.” Said Mulder, stepping away and pulling out his phone.

His first call was to the Chicago field office, informing them that he and Scully had secured Weems’s testimony and he needed a protection detail to meet him at the hospital.

His second was to their boss, AD Skinner. To let him know that they would be overnighting in Chicago, or at the very least taking a late night flight home. Either way, they were not expected in the office until tomorrow afternoon.

“We’re all set here.” He said coming up to Scully. “As soon as the field office agent come to relive us, we can go.”

She nodded and walked over to Henry to tell him the news. Suddenly the Emergency ward was a hive of activity, doctors and nurses rushing around to prep a bed. He moved over to Scully to see if she knew what was going on.

She listened carefully to what the doctors and nurses were calling out to each other, based on the medicines they were preparing, someone had gone into liver or kidney failure. She knew when someone came into emergency exhibiting organ failure they had to move fast.

“What’s the ETA?” Asked a Doctor to a Nurse.

“Seven minutes, they’re coming from Melrose Park.” The Nurse replied.

Mulder and Scully looked at each other, they couldn’t be talking about Ritchie?

“Excuse me?” Called Mulder, “The patient who’s coming in, it wouldn’t be a little boy, would it? About twelve years old? Named Ritchie?”

The Nurse stopped what she was doing and looked Mulder up and down, he quickly pulled out his badge. She nodded. “Richard Lupone. He’s exhibiting signs of liver failure. Excuse me.” She quickly went back to work.

Mulder stood dumbfounded for a minute, what are the odds? Henry had overheard the nurse and was trying to get up, he needed to be there for the boy. Scully moved to calm him. “Henry, it’s going to be okay, just stay calm.”

It was all she could do to keep him in his bed until Ritchie arrived. It was rather shocking to see the boy, jaundice had set in and even his eyes had a yellow tint to them. Henry and the agents were pushed to one side while the doctors and nurses worked on the boy.

Henry looked around. “Where’s Maggie? Where’s his mother?” He panicked.

“I’m sure she’s on her way.” Calmed Mulder. “Let’s go and see if we can find her.” He said trying to pull Henry away.

“No, I need to stay with him.” Said Henry determinedly.

Scully looked at Mulder. “Go, find Maggie, I will stay with him.”

Mulder nodded and walked out of the room. He checked the waiting room, and the front of the hospital. There was no sign of her, he walked up to the cafeteria, and down to the gift shop, nothing.

He felt his phone buzz and quickly answered it. Hoping that it was Scully telling him that she was here. “Mulder.”

“Mulder, it’s me. Any sign of her?” Asked Scully.

He sighed. “No, nothing.”

“Well, you better get up here, they stabilized Ritchie and have moved him into a private room.”

He got the directions to the room and headed up to meet them. Scully was waiting for him in the hallway.

“Did you find her?” She asked.

“No.” he replied.

She nodded. “I sent a couple uniforms to her house to see if she was there, they just called in, there was no sign of her at home and there was no sign of forced entry. Nothing looked touched.”

“Do you think Cutrona could have taken her?” He asked.

“I think it’s entirely possible, if he found out that Henry was testifying.” She said.

“Which means we have a rat in the field office.” Said Mulder sighing.

“It’s not good.” She responded and they walked into the room.

Ritchie was hooked up to the monitor, and had a breathing tube inserted. He looked so small and weak. Henry stood by the bed. He turned as they entered.

“Did you find her?” He asked.

“No.” Said Scully softly.

“You know Cutrona took her. He did it to keep me from testifying.” Said Henry.

“He’s who we are focused on. But there’s no sign of a kidnapping, there’s no ransom note.” Replied Mulder.

Henry shook his head. “He’s too smart for that.”

“Which makes it very hard for us to obtain a search warrant.” Explained Mulder.

“We’ll get one though.” Added Scully.

“When?” Asked Henry. “Tomorrow? Next week?” The agents looked down cast. There was little they could do right now. “Could someone sit with him at least?” Asked Henry walking towards the door.

“Hold up Henry.” Said Mulder, putting his arm out to stop him. “Henry, what if? What if what I said before wasn’t true? That your luck hasn’t changed? Maybe all this is happening for a reason.” He said thinking about the conversation he had with Scully about fate.

“So you’re saying that Maggie getting taken is a _good_ thing?” Scoffed Henry.

“No, I’m saying what looks like it might be bad luck may not be bad luck, but we can’t tell yet. We’re not in that position. We can’t see the forest for the trees.” He said, realisation washing over him.

Henry sighed and went to put on his jacket. It ripped at the sleeve. He groaned frustrated and slung it over his shoulder. Stomping out of the children’s ward.

They sighed and moved closer to the boy. “How is he?” Asked Mulder.

“Not good.” Replied Scully. “If we don’t find a donor in the next few hours…..” She trailed off not wanting to think about the smart young boy who loved baseball dying in a hospital bed.

“Scully, what if everybody that becomes involved in Henry Weems life somehow becomes an integral part of his luck, including you and I?”

“Mulder, you’re speaking as if we’re all trapped in one of those contraptions he builds.” He nodded and walked to the door. “What are you doing?” she called after him.

“Looking for Maggie Lupone.” He said and walked out the door. He walked over to the nurse’s station and grabbed a copy of the phone book off the table. Scully watched with interest as he walked back into Ritchie’s room.

“Luck, is the overreaching force in this investigation.” He said to her, flipping open to the yellow pages. “I say we roll with it.” He looked into her eyes reaching his hand up above his head. Without looking he brought his finger down onto an ad, MUHAYMIN DAYCARE. “Yeah…. Let’s call that a dry run.”

“Yeah.” Scully scoffed

He flipped to another page and slammed his finger down. GRAYSON LINENS, where had he heard that name before? “This is it!” He cried.

“How do you know that?” She asked.

“Because Grayson linen service was the company who’s freshly washed sheets and towels our friend Henry fell into last night.”

“So? Mulder that doesn’t prove anything.”

He looked into her eyes, he just needed her to believe him. “This means something Scully. Please, just trust me.”

She looked back into his eyes, she could see the need behind them. “Alright.” She sighed, “Well it’s as good a lead as any. Go, I’ll stay with Ritchie.”

He nodded at her, all he wanted to do in that moment was pull her into his arms and kiss her. But they were working, so he reached out and squeezed her arm, and walked away.

He rushed down to his car, calling the Chicago dispatchers on the way. A team of police were set to meet him at Grayson’s Linen Service when he arrived.

They were waiting out the front for him. The shop front looked quiet, one woman standing by the front counter.

“Who’s in charge here?” He called to the officers.

Officer Murphy stepped up to him. “I am sir. What do you want us to do?”

Mulder thought for a second. “Okay, on my mark we are going to swarm the building, I want four men around the back to watch for fire exits. If Cutrona’s men are in there they will be armed so use extreme caution. Do not break the line and watch your partners back. Any questions?”

The men shook their heads and Murphy picked out the officers for the back of the building.

“Okay.” Said Mulder. “As soon as they are in position, we breach.”

They waited for the clear from the officers, and as soon as it came. There were in the building. Mulder walked up to the woman behind the counter, who looked scared out of her wits. “Where’s Cutrona?” He asked her. She pointed to a door nearby that said Basement.

He nodded and gestured to the woman to get out of the building. Just then there was a crack of electricity, and all of the lights started going haywire. Some of the officers jumped and flung their guns around looking for danger.

“Keep it together!” Shouted Mulder. And gestured them towards the basement door.

The scene in behind the door was a surprising one. Henry and Maggie stood embracing in the centre of the room, next to them was Cutrona. He was lying limply in a half empty washing cart. A heavy metal pulley over his face. They rushed down the stairs to find another man lying face down near a caged area at the back of the room.

One officer checked Cutrona’s pulse while two more went to check on the other man, and turn off the power. Both men were dead.

“What happened?” Asked Mulder, grabbing Henry by the shoulders.

“I don’t know, I, I came here to save Maggie and the guy got electrocuted. And then Cutrona got hit in the face when the pulley snapped.” Said Henry, still holding on to Maggie’s hand.

“They strung him up.” Said Maggie. “Cutrona and his goon, they were going to kill Henry. But then, I don’t know, it all happened so fast.”

Mulder walked over to examine Cutrona, it was clear that the pulley to the head had killed him. He looked down at Cutrona’s wrist, he wore a medical bracelet. Mulder flipped it over _B Neg_ it read. It couldn’t be, he thought. He reached into the man’s coat pocket and pulled out his wallet, flipping through the cards he came across the one he was looking for. _Organ donor._ “Get an ambulance here right now. This man is a donor.” He called to officer Murphy.

“Ritchie!” Cried Maggie. “Is he okay?”

“He will be.” Replied Mulder.


	12. Chapter 12

 

Feb 10 2000 11:00 PM

They were standing outside Ritchie’s hospital room. He had come out of surgery not long ago and was just waking up. Maggie was in with him. Mulder, Scully and Henry watched as she stroked his hair.

“What are the odds for Cutrona being a perfect match? Thousand to one? Million to one?” Asked Mulder.

“Maybe higher.” Replied Scully. “Maybe everything does happen for a reason, whether we see it or not.” She smiled at Henry and her partner.

Henry was looking at Maggie, she had turned and was smiling to him through the window. “Maybe your luck is changing.” Said Mulder, patting the man on the back.

Henry smiled. “Maybe.” He said and walked in to join the people he thought of as his family.

Mulder and Scully stayed there a while watching the man. Eventually they turned to leave.

“So Scully, do you believe in fate now?” Asked Mulder.

She smiled at him as they waited for the elevator. “You know what, I think I do. So what now?”

“Well, our bags are still at the airport check in, we could catch the red eye home. If you want?” He said.

She sighed, he still hadn’t asked her to stay. Well, maybe it just wasn’t meant to be, she thought as they hopped into the elevator. “Sounds good.”

They drifted into one of their uncomfortable silences that lasted the whole way to the airport. After she had purchased the tickets they sat in a café drinking coffee while they waited for their flight. Mulder was chewing on a plastic stirrer, he had been debating the entire drive whether or not to ask her to stay with him tonight. He knew that after a case she was usually withdrawn for a day or two, especially one involving kids. But this one seemed to have a happy ending, so few of them did. Then there was her brother, he didn’t know how she would feel about him staying at her place alone. She hadn’t really talked to him about how Charlie was coping, other than to express her annoyance. Perhaps he should let her be, let her look after him. But there was something in her eyes, something that said to him that she missed him. He took a deep breath. “So, Scully, it’s going to be very late when we get back to Washington. I thought, if you didn’t want to wake Charlie, you could maybe spend the night at my place?”

She smiled at him. Finally, she thought. She had begun to think that he was losing interest in her. After all, they hadn’t spent much time together since Charlie moved in, and it was clear that their relationship was purely physical. Logically it made sense for him to move on. But he had asked her, and Charlie thought she was going to be away until tomorrow, so he wasn’t expecting her home. “Yes, I would like that. Besides, you still owe me a backrub.”

He smiled, relived that he had said the right thing. Overhead the boarding call for their plane called out. They got up and headed for the terminal.


	13. Chapter 13

 

Feb 11 2000 10:45 AM

Scully awoke to the scent of bacon and eggs cooking. She smiled and stretched out her body, taking a moment to soak in the scent of Mulder in the bed. She got up, but rather than pull out her clothes from her overnight bag. She found his oxford tee, sitting in a pile of clean laundry. It was her favourite thing to wear, she’d contemplated putting it into her bag to take home on more than one occasion. But she had resisted, that was something a girl in love does. And she was not in love.

She padded out barefoot to the kitchen to see Mulder in a pair of old sweats trying pitifully to avoid the spitting bacon fat. “You should wear a shirt when you cook bacon.” She suggested.

“Ah, but then you wouldn’t get to see all this.” He replied, using the spatula to show off his chest and stomach.

She wrinkled her nose at him. “I know, why do you think I suggested it.” She teased.

He jumped at her and pretended to smack her with the spatula. She jumped out of the way sticking her tongue out at him. He dropped the spatula and grabbed her with both arms pulling her into a big bear hug. “You’re going to burn the bacon.” She said, her voice muffled by his chest.

“Well we can’t have that.” He replied, picking her up and depositing her on one of the bar stools. She laughed, she had missed this. Staying at his place felt like another world. A world where they weren’t running for their lives most of the time, or bored out of their minds the rest of the time. It was a place where she didn’t need to think logically, just feel freely. A place free from X Files, and family drama. It was just the two of them, perfect. But she knew the second she walked out of that door reality would come crashing down on her.

But that was a problem for later, right now she had a half-naked Mulder cooking her breakfast. She reached across the bench for a cup of coffee he had already made her and watched him work.

That day they ate at the breakfast bar, coffee and orange juice, bacon, eggs and toast. Everything cooked to perfection. There was lots of joking and laughter, fighting over who was going to do the dished. Scully lecturing Mulder on the mess he had made cooking. But when the meal was over and the kitchen was clean, it was time to get ready to face reality again. They were due back in the office by 1:00 PM though neither one of them wanted to go in, it was Friday, if they could get out of lodging their report until Monday, they could spend the whole weekend together.

But there was paperwork to do, and Scully needed to get back to her brother, so they sadly began to gather up their things and get ready for work. It didn’t take them very long, both working around each other’s morning rituals seamlessly. When she was ready she grabbed her bag and walked over to Mulder, who was fussing with his tie. She took over, folding it into a perfect Windsor knot. When she was done she grabbed it and pulled him down to meet her lips. She kissed him thoroughly and walked to the door. Turning around as she opened the door she took one wistful look back at the place and she could truly be herself in, and the man who would act like a different person when he next saw her, and then walked away.

Mulder stood in the living room watching her leave. Even though he would see her in an hour, he missed her. The woman he saw at work was very different, she had her armour firmly in place. She didn’t know what she wanted. When they were together here, it felt to him like the rest of the world melted away. All of their problems, all of the pain. He sighed and went hunting for his shoes, he had kicked them off somewhere last night and one had ended up under the sofa, the other was by the front door.

When he was ready he headed out for work, spending the twenty minute car ride reliving all of the precious moments he had shared with her. He was surprised when he got to work to find she hadn’t arrived yet. She must have gone home first, he thought and settled down at his desk and turned in his computer.

He had just started writing up his report when she walked in, two coffees in hand. She nodded to him. “Afternoon Mulder. Coffee?”

There she was, professional Scully, he wanted to leap out from behind his desk and pull her into his arms. “Afternoon Scully, thank you.”

They sat there in silence writing up their individual reports, occasionally asking each other a question about the case. By three o’clock, they were ready to present the reports to Skinner. Mulder picked up the phone and called his office informing the receptionist that they were ready to see him.

The rest of their afternoon went as expected, Skinner reading over the report, questioning them on luck. It didn’t really matter how the agents had done it, they had removed a major mob boss from Chicago and this was a report Skinner was happy to sign off on. After Skinner had dismissed them they pottered around the office, Scully collating the information for their expense report, Mulder not really helping.

At five o’clock she stood up from her desk, stretching out her neck. “See you Monday.” She said to him.

He looked over to where she was standing. “Yeah, see you Scully.”

There was so much that was still unsaid between them, they could see it in each other’s eyes. The burning desire for the other, which went so much deeper than physical. Scully grabbed her coat and bag and walked out. She was not looking forward to going home tonight. She needed to have a talk to her brother, but she didn’t want to hurt him.

She had gone over what she wanted to say to him in her head in the car ride home. Making sure that what she said made sense, but that all went out the window when she got in the door.

He was sitting on her couch with a pair of reading glasses on, reading the newspaper. “Hey Charlie,” She said putting down her briefcase and taking off her coat.

“Jason rang me last night.” He said closing the paper and taking off his glasses.

She walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. “What did he want?” she asked quietly, she knew this could be really bad, or maybe he wanted Charlie back?

“He wants to buy me out of the cottage. $50,000.” Said Charlie with a sigh.

$50,000? Thought Scully, the cottage was worth at least $200,000 it was in New York for God’s sake. “What did you say?” She asked.

“I said…. Yes.” He said quietly. He could see the argument forming in his sister’s mind. “I just want it done, _Vic_ has already moved in with him.” He shook his head with a look of disgust. “They put my things in storage.”

Scully couldn’t believe what Charlie was telling her. Jason was like a brother to her, how could he treat Charlie so poorly? They hadn’t even been separated for a month yet and he already has his new boy living with him? She looked into her brothers eyes, she could see the pain and shame in them. “Whatever you need little brother, I am here for you.” She said pulling him in for a hug.

“Thanks Dana, I’m ok, I just want to get back to reality, you know? I rang work and organised a transfer to here and I have started looking for my own place.” He said holding up the paper.

“No, you stay here as long as you need.” She replied taking the paper off of him. She was so angry at Jason, it took all her will power not to jump in her car and drive up to New York to give him a piece of her mind. She knew that her mood wouldn’t help Charlie. “I’m going to go and get some dinner.” She said jumping up off the couch. “What do you feel like? Chinese?”

Charlie shrugged. “I don’t mind, I’m not really hungry.” He looked like he had been crying a lot that day, and he wasn’t done.

“Okay, well you have to eat. I’ll be home soon okay?” She gathered up her keys and cell phone and walked out of the house. When she got into her car she sat for a minute and cried. When she pulled herself back together she flipped open her cell phone and hit her number one speed dial. He answered almost immediately.

“Mulder.”

“Mulder…….. It’s me.” She sounded hoarse, and her breath hitched a little.

“Scully. What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He asked panicked.

“I’m fine, but it looks like Charlie will be staying with me for a while longer.” She said trying to keep her voice even.

“What happened?” Even through the phone he expressed so much compassion, she couldn’t help herself. She blurted out everything that Charlie had told her. When she was done he asked her. “Are you at home right now? Where’s Charlie?”

“He’s in the apartment, in sitting in my car. I’m supposed to be getting Chinese food, but I haven’t left yet.” She shook her head, it was ridicules of her to get this worked up. She was stronger than this.

“Okay, Scully go back upstairs, Charlie needs you with him right now. I’ll be there soon.”

She was about to argue but he had already hung up. She sat for a moment, composing herself, and after checking her makeup in the rear view mirror she got out of the car. She walked upstairs to her apartment, Charlie was still sitting on the couch. He didn’t look like he had moved since she left. She walked over to him and sat down wrapping her arms around him.

“Where’s the food.” He mumbled. She just shook her head and held him, they stayed that way for twenty minutes, until Mulder let himself in to the apartment with his keys carrying bags of Chinese food.

“Hey Scullys’.” He called as he walked in. He took the food over to Scully’s dining room table and sat it down, then he headed for the kitchen to get out the plates and cutlery. She disentangled herself from her brother and walked over to help. Thank you she mouthed to him. He gave her a crooked smile, and shrugged as if to say that’s what I’m here for. Before pulling out a couple of wine glasses from the cupboard.

Charlie had walked up behind them while they were working in the kitchen, he watched the way they moved together. They shifted around each other like dancers, never touching but always close enough that either could reach out a hand to the other. Every so often they would catch each other’s eyes. He smiled at them, happy for his sister, God knows she deserves some happiness in her life. He cleared his throat, and they stopped to look at him. “Can I have a glass of that?” He said pointing at the wine Mulder was pouring.

Mulder handed him a glass. “So Scully tells me you’ve applied for a transfer, when do you start and the D.C office?” he asked, his voice giving away no knowledge that he knew any of the redheads troubles.

“Next week, they’re going to start me off easy, mostly paralegal work.” He said reassuring his sister that he wouldn’t be taking on too much too quickly.

“Well that will be a good way to familiarise yourself with the office.” She said.

Before too long they were sitting around the table laughing at Mulder regaling Charlie with some of their more bizarre cases. Empty Chinese food boxes littered the table along with the two empty wine bottles they had consumed. Mulder looked up at the clock hanging on the wall, 11:30 it read. “I should be going.” He said pulling himself out of the chair. His job for the night was done, both the Scully siblings seemed happy. He knew how much it helped to take your mind off your problems, even just for a little while.

“I’ll walk you out.” Said Scully rising from the table. She looked at Charlie.

“You two go, I’ll take care of the dishes.” He said stacking their plates together.

They walked down to Mulder’s car, Charlie watched from the living room window as they came to a stop by the car door.

“Thank you for tonight.” Said Scully, looking shyly up into Mulder’s eyes. “I didn’t realise how much I needed you here.”

He shrugged. “I’m happy to help, besides it’s nice to know that you have one brother who doesn’t hate me.” He joked,

She smiled thinking about how much Bill disliked her partner, bet he’d hate this she thought, and tilted her face up towards his. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Other than their first kiss on New Year’s Eve, this had been their first kiss outside of eithers apartment.

They broke apart and smiled at each other. “Well, goodnight Scully.” He said brushing her hair back from her face.

“Night Mulder.” She replied, turning and heading up to her apartment.

Charlie quickly moved away from the window when he saw his sister turn around and by the time she had walked back upstairs he was busy in the kitchen with the dishes. She wandered over to him, a half smile still playing on her lips. “Need help?” she asked him.

“Sure.” He replied moving aside to let her start drying the dishes. “So, Mulder. He’s a really nice guy.”

“Yeah, it was nice of him to come over like that.” She replied.

“How long have you been together?” He asked casually.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you mean?” she asked.

He laughed at her and turned to face her. “You can drop the act, even if I hadn’t seen you kissing out the front.”

Red flushed her cheeks. That spying little rat! She thought. “Charlie –“

He cut her off. “Even if I hadn’t seen that, I knew, I knew there was something going on the first time I met him. And I was hungover and could hardly see.”

“You could really tell?” She asked in a small voice, they had been so careful, what if the people at work knew? They would split them up.

Charlie could see the worry in his sister’s eyes. There was probably a reason they were keeping it secret he thought. He put his arms around her shoulders and stared at her until she made eye contact. “I could tell because I know you, don’t worry. No one will hear it from me.”

“I wanted to tell you, but with everything going on……” she trailed off.

“Dana, its okay for you to be happy when I’m sad. You have got to stop being such a martyr.” When would she let go? She has given up so much of her life to make others happy, why did she need to please their parents so much. “You need to let yourself have feelings.”

She broke away from him. He was bringing up too many truths that she wasn’t ready to face yet. She walked over to her half empty glass of wine and took a sip.

Charlie stopped with the dishes and moved over to the dining room next to his sister. “So how long have you two been seeing each other?”

“Not long.” She replied sitting down. “About a month and a half.”

He was surprised, the way they acted around each other he was expecting years. He wouldn’t have blamed her for not telling him, after all he kept Jason a secret for two years before anyone but Missy knew. “But you’ve been partners for seven years.” He said working it out in his head. “Why did you wait so long?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Because the timing didn’t work out, because of other people, because we work together. What do you want from me Charlie?” how was this any of your business? She asked silently.

“You just seem like you’ve been together longer than that is all.” He explained.

“Yeah, well we haven’t.” She said taking another sip from her wine.

“Have you told him you love him yet?” He asked cheekily.

“Charlie!” She cried staring at him.

“Well, you obviously do, so I had to ask.” He replied matching her stare.

“No I don’t, it’s far too new to think about things like that.” She argued.

“Fine but tell me you have at least slept together?” He stared at her watching her turn a bright shade of red. “You have! Tell me everything!” He said resting his head on his hand.

“NO! God, look at you, anyone would think your one of my girlfriends not my brother.” She was mortified with this entire conversation. All she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and cover herself over.

“Ooh that’s a good point, does Ellen know?” He asked enjoying watching her squirm.

“No one knows.” She shot.

He laughed. “She is going to be pissed when she finds out you told me first.”

“I didn’t tell you, you spied on me like we were in high school.” She spat at him seething.

“Well you snuck around like you were in school.” He retorted.

“Can you please not tease me about this Charlie? It’s confusing enough as it is.” She begged.

He could see that she couldn’t take much more of his taunting. He smiled at her. “I’m happy for you Dana, whatever this thing with Mulder is, it obviously makes you very happy.”

She took one last gulp of her wine. “Thank you, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” She said getting up from the table.

“Night sis!” he called as she left the room.

Well then, his sister had a boyfriend, about time.


	14. Epilogue

 

Feb 14 2000 7:30 AM

Mulder had stopped outside work at the portable coffee stand to grab him and Scully coffee. As he reached the front of the line he saw the paper heart cut outs that adorned the front of the stand. He stood there confused for a moment before realising. Shit, it’s Valentine’s Day. Should he get Scully a gift? Was that too much of a couple thing? Were they a couple? Did she know what today even was? If he didn’t get her something would she be disappointed? A voice knocked him out of his head.

“Are you going to stand there all day or what?” It was the barista, he had been standing at the front of the que like a deer in headlights.

“Ah, can I get two long blacks with cream? He asked. The man nodded and went to pour the coffee. As Mulder went to pay for them he noticed a basket filled with chocolate hearts wrapped in red foil. He grabbed one and paid, tucking the sweet into his pocket he made his way into the building.

He still hadn’t decided whether or not to give her the candy when he arrived in his office. He sat down at his desk and took a sip of his hot coffee it burned his tongue. Damn it! He thought putting the hot cup down on the desk. He looked over to the area Scully used, her post it notes were sitting out next to some pens. He smiled and decided what to do.

When Scully arrived half an hour later she was pleased to find a cup of coffee sitting out on her table. Mulder must have left the office for something, she thought sadly, she would have liked to thank him. She picked up the coffee and took a sip, it was perfect, not hot but still warm. She looked down to see a post it note stuck to the bottom of the cup. She peeled it off and read what was written on it. **Happy Valentine’s Day, look in your draw.** She looked at the calendar. She had totally forgotten what today was she smiled and opened her draw. Inside sitting on top of her papers and office paraphernalia was a single chocolate heart covered in red foil. On the foil in very fine writing was the words **be mine**. She quickly grabbed her post it notes and wrote him a note asking him if she could come over tonight.

She had just stuck in on his desk when he walked in the room. “Morning Scully.” He said smiling at her.

“Morning Mulder. Thanks for the coffee.” She said with a coy smile on her face.

He walked over to his desk and sat down, his eyes quickly found her note. He read through it and looked up to see her watching him from the other side of the desk. He slowly nodded to her and they both smiled.

The End


End file.
